wasted
Americanadjective
-
done to no avail; useless.
wasted efforts.
-
physically or psychologically exhausted; debilitated.
to be wasted by a long illness.
-
Slang. overcome by the influence of alcohol or drugs.
-
Archaic. (of time) gone by.
adjective
-
not exploited or taken advantage of
a wasted opportunity
-
useless or unprofitable
wasted effort
-
physically enfeebled and emaciated
a thin wasted figure
-
slang showing signs of habitual drug abuse
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of wasted
late Middle English word dating back to 1400–50; see origin at waste, -ed 2
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
That would be a start, but it doesn’t really make up for the wasted decade we’ll never get back.
From Los Angeles Times • May 6, 2026
Her astonishing talent for creating a new approach each time out is wasted as she rehashes her Oscar-nominated turn in “The Devil Wears Prada.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 29, 2026
If there are any setbacks, they could lead to a wasted season in the blink of an eye.
From BBC • Apr. 29, 2026
“Too much time wasted on traveling, too much work!”
From Barron's • Apr. 26, 2026
She wasted no more words upon him except to refuse his gold.
From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
