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Synonyms

wasting

American  
[wey-sting] / ˈweɪ stɪŋ /

adjective

  1. gradually reducing the fullness and strength of the body.

    a wasting disease.

  2. laying waste; devastating; despoiling.

    the ravages of a wasting war.


noun

  1. Geology. mass wasting.

wasting British  
/ ˈweɪstɪŋ /

adjective

  1. (prenominal) reducing the vitality, strength, or robustness of the body

    a wasting disease

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of wasting

1200–50; Middle English; see waste, -ing 2, -ing 1

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.

Sea urchin populations began to explode off the coast of Oregon following the Sea Star Wasting Syndrome pandemic that began in 2013.

From Science Daily • May 21, 2024

Wasting no time — because who needs background or mood?

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 25, 2024

In 2011, he found a whole new set of fans when he starred in the video for White Limo, a track on the Foo Fighters' album Wasting Light.

From BBC • Nov. 14, 2023

Wasting edible food also means wasting all of the resources it took to produce it, including water, land, fertilizers and pesticides created from oil and gas, seeds, money, animal lives and labor.

From Salon • Aug. 24, 2022

Wasting no time, Paishon turned around and headed back down the trail toward the camp to pick up another load.

From "Death on the River of Doubt" by Samantha Seiple