a massive waste of time

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a massive waste of time" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to express that something is considered to be unproductive or not worth the time spent on it. Example: "After attending the meeting, I realized it was a massive waste of time, as we didn't accomplish anything."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Vice

The Guardian

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

9 human-written examples

So what did they think I was going to say? "No, they're a massive waste of time"?

The Guardian - Tech

Otherwise, he would have known that training a cat to do anything other than whatever the hell it feels like is a massive waste of time.

Independent

"It's a massive waste of time, a massive waste of money," she says in a video posted last month on YouTube.

The Guardian - Music

Released on parole in October 1988 after a year and a day inside, he summed up the experience as a "massive waste of time with absolutely nothing to show for it at the end".

The Guardian - Sport

Pundits and NGOs scream that it was "the greatest failure of collective leadership since the first world war", "a bleak day, a disastrous meeting" and "a massive waste of time and money".

The Guardian

They care about the conversations we have and the things we do, but there's no escaping it even if it is a massive waste of time.

Vice

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

51 human-written examples

"You better pay my wages this month!" "Really, I didn't know that??" It seems the club did not tell him about his dismissal but they did wish him "good luck and success on his future career path". "Your job was a massive waste of my time anyway" Which two cities are involved when the Falcons play the Tigers and City play United on Friday night?

The Guardian - Sport

Evidence of the national security state's massive waste of time and resources might indeed be useful for us to have as we think about how to improve our less than 100% privacy and security.

Huffington Post

"So yeah, it was a massive waste of money".

Independent

Experience shows that giving the stuff away causes a massive waste of resources.

The Economist

For the north, HS2 will be a massive waste of money.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "a massive waste of time" to express strong disapproval or frustration when time is spent on something unproductive or pointless. It emphasizes the significant amount of time squandered.

Common error

While acceptable, "a massive waste of time" can sound informal. In formal contexts, consider alternatives like "an inefficient use of time" or "a fruitless endeavor" for a more professional tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a massive waste of time" functions as a predicative expression, typically following a linking verb (e.g., "is", "was", "seems"). It attributes the quality of being unproductive and not worthwhile to the subject. Ludwig confirms its grammatical correctness and usability.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Vice

30%

The Guardian

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a massive waste of time" is a grammatically sound and usable phrase that expresses strong disapproval of unproductive or pointless activities. Ludwig identifies it as correct, although slightly informal for certain academic or professional environments. Predominantly found in News & Media and general discourse, it effectively communicates frustration over squandered time. For formal contexts, consider alternatives such as "an inefficient use of time" or "a fruitless endeavor".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a huge waste of time

Replaces "massive" with "huge", indicating a large amount of time wasted.

a complete waste of time

Replaces "massive" with "complete", emphasizing that no value was gained.

an utter waste of time

Substitutes "massive" with "utter" to intensify the feeling of worthlessness.

a total waste of time

Uses "total" instead of "massive", highlighting that all the time was wasted.

a colossal waste of time

Employs "colossal" to exaggerate the scale of the wasted time.

a monumental waste of time

Uses "monumental" to emphasize the considerable scale of the waste.

a considerable waste of time

Replaces "massive" with "considerable", suggesting a notable amount of time wasted.

an unproductive use of time

Shifts focus from waste to lack of productivity.

a futile endeavor

Expresses the idea that the effort was pointless and achieved nothing.

spinning your wheels

Idiomatic expression for wasting time and effort without making progress.

FAQs

What does "a massive waste of time" mean?

It means that something is considered extremely unproductive or not worth the time invested in it. It suggests a significant amount of time has been used without achieving a worthwhile outcome.

How can I use "a massive waste of time" in a sentence?

You can say, "Attending that conference was "a massive waste of time", as the speakers were unprepared and the content was irrelevant."

What are some alternatives to saying "a massive waste of time"?

Alternatives include "a complete waste of time", "a total waste of time", or "an unproductive use of time", depending on the context.

Is "a massive waste of time" appropriate for formal writing?

While grammatically correct, it can be perceived as informal. For formal writing, consider using phrases like "an inefficient use of time" or "a fruitless endeavor" for a more professional tone.