Phrase guide

waste away

verb · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Australia: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To lose energy or become weak and feeble.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic

Examples

  • She watched him waste away from lack of food or exercise.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: wither

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

20 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Dutch: wegkwijnen — lose energy
  • Esperanto: atrofiiĝi — lose energy
  • Finnish: kuihtua — lose energy
  • Finnish: riutua — lose energy
  • French: dépérir — lose energy
  • German: dahinsiechen — lose energy
  • Ancient Greek: μαραίνομαι (maraínomai) — lose energy
  • Japanese: やせ衰える (yaseotoroeru) — lose energy
  • Latin: tābeō — lose energy
  • Latin: tabescō — lose energy
  • Māori: ngongo — lose energy
  • Māori: horokiwa — lose energy
  • Old English: dwīnan — lose energy
  • Portuguese: definhar — lose energy
  • Russian: ча́хнуть (čáxnutʹ) — lose energy
  • Russian: зача́хнуть (začáxnutʹ) — lose energy
  • Russian: истоща́ться (istoščátʹsja) — lose energy
  • Russian: истощи́ться (istoščítʹsja) — lose energy
  • Sanskrit: क्षीयते (kṣīyate) — lose energy
  • Ottoman Turkish: ییتمك (yitmek) — lose energy