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
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
If the Brotherhood can successfully build a Liberty Prime robot, the war in the wasteland is going to get ugly—and extremely violent—fast.
—
Barry Levitt, Time, 4 Feb. 2026
By last year, the former wasteland had been transformed into a dense, productive Duzhong forest.
—Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 31 Jan. 2026
The film is shot like the dirty, oppressive wasteland it’s meant to be, and a lot of credit goes to the ensemble assembled here.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 30 Jan. 2026
The documentary focuses on the inhabitants of Antarctica, and captures an apparent moment of madness within a colony of Adélie penguins, who endure scathingly harsh conditions in the icy wasteland.
—Dani Di Placido, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for wasteland
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Barry Levitt, Time, 4 Feb. 2026
By last year, the former wasteland had been transformed into a dense, productive Duzhong forest.
—Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 31 Jan. 2026
The film is shot like the dirty, oppressive wasteland it’s meant to be, and a lot of credit goes to the ensemble assembled here.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 30 Jan. 2026
The documentary focuses on the inhabitants of Antarctica, and captures an apparent moment of madness within a colony of Adélie penguins, who endure scathingly harsh conditions in the icy wasteland.
—Dani Di Placido, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for wasteland
Cite this Entry
“Wasteland.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wasteland. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids 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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