wastefulness

Noun
US[weyst-fuhl-nuhs]/ˈweɪstfəlnəs/3 syllables

Open English WordNet

Noun (2)

  1. the trait of wasting resources“a life characterized by thriftlessness and waste”“the wastefulness of missed opportunities”Synonyms: thriftlessnesswasteType of improvidence, shortsightedness
  2. useless or profitless activity; using or expending or consuming thoughtlessly or carelessly“if the effort brings no compensating gain, it is a waste”“mindless dissipation of natural resources”Synonyms: wastedissipationType of activityKinds waste of time, waste of material, boondoggle, extravagance, waste of effort, waste of money, squandering
Word of the day · Sep 29About this word
haphazardadjective

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Webster's Dictionary (1913)

“wastefulness” is listed under Wasteful.

Waste′ful adjective

1. Full of waste; destructive to property; ruinous; as, wasteful practices or negligence; wasteful expenses.

2. Expending, or tending to expend, property, or that which is valuable, in a needless or useless manner; lavish; prodigal; as, a wasteful person; a wasteful disposition.

3. Waste; desolate; unoccupied; untilled. obsolete

In wilderness and wasteful desert strayed.— Edmund Spenser

Synonyms: Lavish; profuse; prodigal; extravagant.

— Waste′wb-a1′>′ful·ly, adverb — Waste′wb-a1′>′ful·ness, noun

Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913), from GCIDE 0.54

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