waste

USAGE SUMMARY

The word "waste" is correct and usable in written English.
It is an uncountable noun typically used to refer to something that is unused, unused material, or the act of not using something. For example, "The factory produced too much waste, and it had to be disposed of properly."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

What a waste.

The New York Times

There is no time to waste.

The New York Times

"It is a huge waste of the next generation's skills, potential and talent and it comes at a huge cost to young black and minority-ethnic people, their families, taxpayers and the economy".

The Guardian

It was a waste of everyone's time".

The Guardian

Given the huge waste and poor productivity in the public services, there is no a priori reason why these cuts cannot be covered by public spending savings, as Osborne argued.

The Guardian

In fact, the more we spend at Christmas, the more we waste.

The Economist

McLeish, with little money to waste, landed Kris Boyd: to the purist, hardly even a footballer; to the statistician, an outrageously prolific goalscorer.

The Guardian - Sport

We are continuing our campaign, and continue to lobby for intervention from Ed Vaizey and Jeremy Hunt (who are responsible for superintending library services nationwide) to avoid yet more needless waste of public money and irreparable damage to our library service.

The Guardian - Books

The battle over the site at Kings Cliffe is being seen as a test case for the rest of the country, as a growing number of waste companies hope to take advantage of the government's change of rules to allow such dumping to take place.

The Guardian

The future of UK government hopes to use local landfill sites to dispose of huge quantities of low-level nuclear waste will come under scrutiny today with the opening of a planning inquiry into the first such case.

The Guardian

The Anaerobic Digestion and Biogas Association, the industry trade body, calculates that this could be doubled, and a tenth of the UK's domestic gas needs could be supplied by biogas, given the UK's resources in waste and agricultural products.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "waste" as a verb to denote inefficient use or squandering, like "don't waste time".

Common error

Avoid using "waste" when you mean "waist", which refers to the part of the body between the ribs and hips. Proofread carefully to ensure you've used the correct term.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "waste" is as a noun, referring to discarded or unwanted material. It can also function as a verb, indicating the inefficient use or squandering of resources. Ludwig provides examples of both usages, aligning with its recognized flexibility.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

45%

Science

25%

Formal & Business

15%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Wiki

5%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the term "waste" is a versatile word primarily used as a noun or verb, with the meaning of discarded material or inefficient usage, respectively. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is grammatically correct and widely used across various contexts. Its frequency is very common, especially in "News & Media", "Science", and "Formal & Business" writing. When using "waste", be mindful of its homophone "waist" and strive for specificity when discussing its environmental impact. Consider alternatives such as "excess material" or "garbage" to provide a more nuanced description.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

garbage

A common term for discarded household refuse.

rubbish

Similar to garbage, referring to unwanted or discarded items.

useless by-products

Highlights the lack of utility in the resulting materials.

refuse

A more formal term for garbage or rubbish.

excess material

Focuses on the surplus aspect, referring to more material than needed.

unwanted material

Material that is no longer needed or desired.

scrap material

Material left over from manufacturing processes, often recyclable.

unsaleable products

Emphasizes the inability to sell the items due to their condition or lack of demand.

damaged goods

Refers to items that are no longer usable due to being broken or spoiled.

surplus

Highlights having more than is needed.

FAQs

How is "waste" used as a noun?

As a noun, "waste" refers to unwanted or unusable materials. For example, "The factory produces a lot of industrial "waste product"".

What does it mean to "waste" something?

To "waste" something means to use it inefficiently or squander it. For instance, "Don't "squander" your opportunities" means don't "waste" them.

What are some alternatives to the word "waste" when referring to garbage?

When referring to garbage, you can use alternatives like "rubbish", "trash", "refuse", or "garbage".

How does "waste" relate to environmental concerns?

"Waste" is a major environmental concern due to pollution and resource depletion. Reducing "waste material" and promoting recycling are important steps towards sustainability.