wasteful
/ˈweɪstfl/ (bre, ipa) · [wˈestfəl] /ˈweɪstfl/ (ame, ipa) · [wˈestfəl] /ˈwāst-fəl How to pronounce wasteful (audio)/ (ame, mw)
wasteful — adjective
- wastefulpositive
- more wastefulcomparative
- most wastefulsuperlative
1. Someone or something described as wasteful uses too much of something valuable w
Someone or something described as wasteful uses too much of something valuable without getting enough benefit from it.
The company's wasteful packaging created mountains of plastic rubbish.
collocation: wasteful packaging / wasteful habit
Theo called it wasteful to throw away food that is still good to eat.
pattern: call it wasteful to + infinitive
The old heating system was so wasteful that their energy bills doubled.
Matthew felt guilty about his wasteful habit of buying clothes he never wore.
Leaving the tap running while brushing your teeth is a wasteful use of water.
- extravagant
focuses on spending too much money on luxury items, not just using too much
- lavish
suggests a deliberate choice to be generous or luxurious, often in a positive or neutral context
- prodigal
more formal and literary; implies recklessly spending money or resources until they run out
- economical
describes careful use of resources to avoid waste
- frugal
describes a lifestyle or habit of spending very little and avoiding unnecessary purchases
- efficient
focuses on achieving maximum results with minimum wasted resources