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“Waist” or “Waste”

waist / waste are similar-sounding terms with different meanings (referred to as homophones). To better understand the differences, see below for definitions, pronunciation guides, and example sentences using each term.

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Definitions

What each term means

Same sound, different spellings and meanings, shown with a pronunciation guide for each term.

waist w·EY·s·t

  • nounthe narrowing of the body between the ribs and hips.

waste w·EY·s·t

  • nounany materials unused and rejected as worthless or unwanted.
  • nounuseless or profitless activity; using or expending or consuming thoughtlessly or carelessly.
  • noun(law) reduction in the value of an estate caused by act or neglect.
  • verbspend thoughtlessly; throw away.
  • verbuse inefficiently or inappropriately.
  • verbget rid of.
  • verbrun off as waste.
  • verbcause to grow thin or weak.
  • verbbecome physically weaker.
Usage

Examples in context

Real sentences for each spelling. Hover an example to copy it.

“waist”

  • …unserrated, and had a constricted "waist" between the crown and the
  • …that reaches the batsman between waist and head height, being dangerous…
  • …games, is paralyzed from the waist down after a suicide attempt…
  • …the air, which detonates at waist level, increasing the blast radius…
  • …the illusion of a small waist, using proportion, stripe placement, and
  • Wasp waist
  • …and left paralyzed from the waist down.
  • …close-ups of her from the waist up captured by television cameras…
  • …blocker due to his chronic waist injuries.
  • …both a sting and a 'waist' (i.e.

“waste”

  • …operation, and to be "completely waste free from the ground up".
  • As the waste fills the rectum and expands…
  • Bodgers also sold their waste product as kindling, or as…
  • Waste material, such as dead nestmates,…
  • A display shows visitors waste disposal methods from medieval castles…
  • …company was illegally dumping toxic waste into a mining cavern, harmless…
  • …ban on letting out toilet waste into the surrounding water.
  • …and produce meconium (a metabolic waste product expelled through the anal…
  • …were used in 1864 as waste paper and the remaining few…
  • …accelerator driven systems for nuclear waste incineration estimated that the ESS…

Examples are Wikipedia snippets under the CC ShareAlike 3.0 license. Definitions are drawn from WordNet.

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