waste
verb (used with object)
to consume, spend, or employ uselessly or without adequate return; use to no avail or profit; squander.
had wasted
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past perfectof waste.past perfect
Used to express a completed action that took place before another specific past action occurred.
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.
“She told me she had completely cut off her mom,” says Sherlock, 29, a certified public accountant in Lakeville, Minn. “And that she had wasted all of her 30s on a man.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 22, 2026
When he heard the older people emotionally retelling their stories, sometimes in tears, about how they had wasted their lives, he knew he had to change.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 15, 2025
I felt like a huge letdown and that I had wasted their time.
From BBC ● Dec. 23, 2024
In a survey of people currently on GLP-1 medications such as Ozempic, 25% of respondents agreed they had wasted more food since taking the drugs, compared to 61% who disagreed.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 21, 2024
But, as it turned out, he had wasted his breath.
From "The Kite Runner" by Khaled Hosseini
