noun

wasteland

WAYS-land

noun

An area of land that is barren, ruined, or has no useful resources.

"The old mining town became a wasteland after the pits closed."

Any place, situation, or period seen as bleak, empty, or lacking value.

"Critics called the schedule a cultural wasteland."

How to Use Wasteland

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA barren, ruined, or empty place — literal or figurative.

Common pairings

a barren wasteland post-industrial wasteland cultural wasteland

wastelands plural

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The old mining town became a _____ after the pits closed.

From Old English weste land ("wasteland"), a combination of waste and land.

Leland Iceland Ireland Zeeland homeland Copeland Moreland Breeland Cleveland Dixieland Westmoreland