wasted
Americanadjective
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done to no avail; useless.
wasted efforts.
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physically or psychologically exhausted; debilitated.
to be wasted by a long illness.
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Slang. overcome by the influence of alcohol or drugs.
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Archaic. (of time) gone by.
adjective
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not exploited or taken advantage of
a wasted opportunity
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useless or unprofitable
wasted effort
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physically enfeebled and emaciated
a thin wasted figure
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slang showing signs of habitual drug abuse
Other Word Forms
Derived 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.
Reifel's family has taken to social media to defend him, arguing the claims that taxpayers wasted money on his training were overblown.
From BBC • Jun. 6, 2026
The Trojans wasted no time jumping on the Bobcats in the rematch.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 1, 2026
At its best, the restaurant drama can be sublime, possibly the best thing on TV; but the past two seasons have felt like a wasted opportunity, with the story largely spinning its wheels.
From MarketWatch • May 31, 2026
The Nora wasted little time getting back in business, however.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 28, 2026
“Your father should’ve known better. A wasted sacrifice is no sacrifice at all.”
From "Will’s Race for Home" by Jewell Parker Rhodes
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.
