Standard Lemma guide

wastrel

noun · 4 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

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  • /ˈweɪstɹəl/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • General-American: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

noun

Meaning 1

One who is profligate, who wastes time or resources extravagantly.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, dated

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A neglected child.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, obsolete

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

Refuse; rubbish.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: obsolete, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

someone who dissipates resources self-indulgently

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: waster

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: prodigal, profligate, squanderer

History

Etymology

1847, waste + -rel (pejorative).

Across languages

Translations

11 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Albanian: bjerraditës — A person who wastes resources and/or time.
  • Bulgarian: разсипник (razsipnik) — A person who wastes resources and/or time.
  • Georgian: მფლანგველი (mplangveli) — A person who wastes resources and/or time.
  • Georgian: ფანტია (panṭia) — A person who wastes resources and/or time.
  • Georgian: უქნარა (uknara) — A person who wastes resources and/or time.
  • Georgian: არაფრისმაქნისი (araprismaknisi) — A person who wastes resources and/or time.
  • German: Verschwender — A person who wastes resources and/or time.
  • Macedonian: ра́сипник (rásipnik) — A person who wastes resources and/or time.
  • Māori: kūrapa — A person who wastes resources and/or time.
  • Polish: utracjusz — A person who wastes resources and/or time.
  • Polish: utracjuszka — A person who wastes resources and/or time.