WASTEFULNESS

Pronunciation (US):

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IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does wastefulness mean? 

• WASTEFULNESS (noun)
  The noun WASTEFULNESS has 2 senses:

1. the trait of wasting resources

2. useless or profitless activity; using or expending or consuming thoughtlessly or carelessly

  Familiarity information: WASTEFULNESS used as a noun is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• WASTEFULNESS (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

The trait of wasting resources

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Synonyms:

thriftlessness; waste; wastefulness

Context example:

the wastefulness of missed opportunities

Hypernyms ("wastefulness" is a kind of...):

improvidence; shortsightedness (a lack of prudence and care by someone in the management of resources)

Derivation:

wasteful (tending to squander and waste)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Useless or profitless activity; using or expending or consuming thoughtlessly or carelessly

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

dissipation; waste; wastefulness

Context example:

mindless dissipation of natural resources

Hypernyms ("wastefulness" is a kind of...):

activity (any specific behavior)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "wastefulness"):

boondoggle (work of little or no value done merely to look busy)

waste of effort; waste of energy (a useless effort)

waste of material (a useless consumption of material)

waste of money (money spent for inadequate return)

waste of time (the devotion of time to a useless activity)

extravagance; high life; highlife; lavishness; prodigality (excessive spending)

squandering (spending resources lavishly and wastefully)

Derivation:

wasteful (laying waste)

wasteful (inefficient in use of time and effort and materials)

 Context examples 

I shall never allow people to talk before me about wastefulness and profligacy, and so forth, in connexion with that life, any more.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)