Learning expressions related to waste can enhance your English vocabulary and help you communicate more effectively. These expressions are commonly used in everyday conversations and can convey various aspects of wastefulness. Here are 20 expressions that will make your language richer and more expressive.
Expressions Related to Waste
1. Throw away
Meaning: Discard
Example: Don’t throw away that old book.
2. Go to waste
Meaning: Be unused
Example: The food went to waste at the party.
3. Waste not, want not
Meaning: Save, don’t waste
Example: My grandmother always said, “Waste not, want not.”
4. Time-wasting
Meaning: Inefficient use of time
Example: This meeting is just time-wasting.
5. Money down the drain
Meaning: Wasted money
Example: Buying that gadget was money down the drain.
6. Pour money down the drain
Meaning: Spend wastefully
Example: He poured money down the drain on that car.
7. Throw money around
Meaning: Spend recklessly
Example: He throws money around like it’s nothing.
8. Burn money
Meaning: Spend wastefully
Example: They are just burning money on unnecessary luxuries.
9. Squander
Meaning: Waste recklessly
Example: He squandered his inheritance on gambling.
10. Fritter away
Meaning: Waste bit by bit
Example: She fritters away her time on social media.
11. Go to waste
Meaning: Be unused
Example: Don’t let your talents go to waste.
12. Waste one’s breath
Meaning: Speak in vain
Example: You’re wasting your breath arguing with him.
13. Throw good money after bad
Meaning: Waste more money
Example: Fixing that old car is throwing good money after bad.
14. Waste of space
Meaning: Useless
Example: This broken machine is a waste of space.
15. Waste one’s time
Meaning: Be unproductive
Example: You’re wasting your time on that project.
16. Go down the drain
Meaning: Be wasted
Example: All his efforts went down the drain.
17. Wild goose chase
Meaning: Futile search
Example: That job hunt was a wild goose chase.
18. Beat a dead horse
Meaning: Waste effort
Example: Arguing with him is beating a dead horse.
19. Miss the boat
Meaning: Miss an opportunity
Example: He missed the boat on that investment.
20. Waste away
Meaning: Become thin and weak
Example: He started to waste away after the illness.
