wasting (away) 1 of 2

noun

Definition of wasting (away)next
as in failing

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wasting (away)

2 of 2

verb

present participle of waste (away)
as in weakening
to lose bodily strength or vigor the tuberculosis resulted in her simply wasting away

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for wasting (away)
  1. failing
  2. weakening
  3. worsening
  4. fading
  5. deterioration
  6. sagging
  7. sinking
  8. going
Noun
  • These reported failings include understaffing, undertrained employees, and failure to listen to parental concerns, the BBC reported at the time.
    — Scharon Harding, ArsTechnica, 22 Sep. 2026
  • Sussman is inclined to see such preferences as further evidence of capitalism’s moral failings.
    — Margaret Talbot, New Yorker, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of failing
Verb
  • While critics claim the court cases are politically motivated and aimed at weakening the opposition, the government insists the country’s judiciary is independent and free from political influence.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Those tasks had often depended on personal relationships rather than formal job requirements, and the researchers found those ties were weakening.
    — Bilin Lin, Fortune, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of weakening
Noun
  • Faster diagnosis can help people with early-stage Alzheimer’s qualify for drugs that can modestly slow the worsening of their symptoms.
    — Lauran Neergaard, Los Angeles Times, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Indonesia has pledged to keep subsidized fuel prices unchanged through 2026, which may strain the budget if oil prices rise again due to supply disruptions or a worsening of military confrontations.
    — Celestine Iyer, CNBC, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of worsening
Verb
  • Fixed on a mobile rig that will at times careen and whoosh across the stage when not otherwise holding on Winter, Anderson’s camera catches the expressionism and chiaroscuro of stage lights illuminating and fading off the singer’s face.
    — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 2 Oct. 2026
  • But hopes of winning the two states have been fading, and the GOP is increasingly focused on playing defense elsewhere with five weeks until the midterm elections.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of fading
Noun
  • But its deterioration is a profound a priori, one that can only be partially forestalled.
    — Jeffrey Weiss, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026
  • The moves come as economic indicators showed months of deterioration, following a disappointing second quarter.
    — Anniek Bao, CNBC, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of deterioration
Verb
  • Like yet another Kenneth Walker III outburst, including a 76-yard run when the Chiefs were sagging late in the third quarter.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Sand-like granules collecting in gutters, curling or missing shingles, brittle or cracking shingles, sagging sections and indoor leaks or ceiling stains are the standard indicators that a roof is failing.
    — Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of sagging
Noun
  • Thirteen people were sentenced to prison terms of up to 10 years on Wednesday in connection with the sinking of a boat in the English Channel nearly five years ago, in one of the biggest tragedies of migrants making the dangerous crossing.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 30 Sep. 2026
  • South Gate’s rain-sodden float depicted a floral Titanic sinking alongside the killer iceberg.
    — Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of sinking
Verb
  • And then, largely as a byproduct of the scaremongering around the AIDS crisis, there was a sense of things going backwards.
    — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Seeing that table filled with this much talent, funding and support is what keeps us going.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of going
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Browse Nearby Words

wasting
wasting (away)
was (to)
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Cite this Entry

“Wasting (away).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wasting%20%28away%29. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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