wasteland
noun
waste·land
ˈwāst-ˌland 
also -lənd
1
: barren or uncultivated land
a desert wasteland
2
: an ugly often devastated or barely inhabitable place or area
3
: something (such as a way of life) that is spiritually and emotionally arid and unsatisfying
Synonyms
Examples of wasteland in a Sentence
The outskirts of the city became a grim industrial wasteland.
That part of the country is a cultural wasteland.
the vast wasteland of television
Recent Examples on the Web
Ella Purnell stars as Lucy, an idealistic young woman born underground in a luxury fallout shelter, who knows nothing of the wasteland above.
—
Etan Vlessing, The Hollywood Reporter, 8 Apr. 2024
The film stars Anya-Taylor Joy as wasteland warrior princess Imperator Furiosa, a role originally plated by Charlize Theron in the 2015 series reboot.
—Jack Dunn, Variety, 19 Mar. 2024
Presence is power in the barren wasteland that is Antarctica.
—Elizabeth Buchanan, Foreign Affairs, 18 Mar. 2024
As the city around it became a wasteland, the church remained, remarkably, untouched.
—Claire Porter Robbins, The New Yorker, 24 Jan. 2024
More:Neighborhood advocate wants to turn historic wasteland into community park
Other Indiana recipients of Scott’s latest round of donations include La Casa de Amistad in South Bend, which received a $2 million gift.
—Sarah Nelson, The Indianapolis Star, 20 Mar. 2024
But this season, the usually pristine white resorts look more like muddy wastelands.
—Fiona Sibbett, CNN, 28 Feb. 2024
Developed by Free Lives and published by Devolver Digital, the goal of the game is to restore an ecosystem through rewilding and green technology, essentially demolishing cities and wastelands in the name of reviving nature.
—Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 18 Dec. 2023
Then again, nostalgia isn’t always a creative wasteland.
—Molly Young, New York Times, 19 Mar. 2024
Etan Vlessing, The Hollywood Reporter, 8 Apr. 2024
The film stars Anya-Taylor Joy as wasteland warrior princess Imperator Furiosa, a role originally plated by Charlize Theron in the 2015 series reboot.
—Jack Dunn, Variety, 19 Mar. 2024
Presence is power in the barren wasteland that is Antarctica.
—Elizabeth Buchanan, Foreign Affairs, 18 Mar. 2024
As the city around it became a wasteland, the church remained, remarkably, untouched.
—Claire Porter Robbins, The New Yorker, 24 Jan. 2024
More:Neighborhood advocate wants to turn historic wasteland into community park
Other Indiana recipients of Scott’s latest round of donations include La Casa de Amistad in South Bend, which received a $2 million gift.
—Sarah Nelson, The Indianapolis Star, 20 Mar. 2024
But this season, the usually pristine white resorts look more like muddy wastelands.
—Fiona Sibbett, CNN, 28 Feb. 2024
Developed by Free Lives and published by Devolver Digital, the goal of the game is to restore an ecosystem through rewilding and green technology, essentially demolishing cities and wastelands in the name of reviving nature.
—Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 18 Dec. 2023
Then again, nostalgia isn’t always a creative wasteland.
—Molly Young, New York Times, 19 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'wasteland.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of wasteland was
in the 14th century
Dictionary Entries Near wasteland
Cite this Entry
“Wasteland.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wasteland. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
wasteland
noun
waste·land
ˈwāst-ˌland
1
: land that is not cultivated or not fit for the cultivation of crops
2
: an ugly often ruined place or area
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