noun/verb · neutral
waste
/weɪst/WASTE
the unnecessary use or loss of resources; to use or expend carelessly
Examples
“Many households try to reduce food waste by planning meals.”
“A wasteful industry consumes more resources than needed.”
“Recycling helps cut down on waste.”
Band 8 sentence
“Policies that encourage circular economy practices can significantly reduce waste and increase resource efficiency.”
Collocations
- food waste
- waste of resources
- waste management
Word family
Common mistakes
We should not waste our natural resources.→We should not waste our natural resources.
The factory is wasteless of energy.→The factory is wasteful of energy.
Say it for a higher band
5throw away→6use too much→7+waste
Synonyms
squander
throw away
Easily confused
wasteful vs wasteless
“The new production line is designed to be wasteless and more efficient.”
Related words
Learn this word with the rest of its set, and get reminded at the right time.
In -ful / -less
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