wasteland
word
Definition
A wasteland is an area of land that is empty, unused, or has been damaged so that nothing useful grows or lives there. It can also be used metaphorically for places or situations that feel empty or lifeless.
Usage & Nuances
Mainly used for deserted or polluted landscapes, both real (physical land) and metaphorical (a 'cultural wasteland'). Not used for ordinary empty lots—conveys a sense of destruction or lifelessness. Formal or literary, often in environmental or dramatic contexts.
Example Sentences
Nothing grows in the wasteland behind the factory.
basic
After the fire, the forest became a wasteland.
basic
The children never play in the wasteland near their house.
basic
The old park is just a wasteland now, full of trash and weeds.
natural
This place feels like an emotional wasteland after everyone left.
natural
Developers see opportunity in what others call a wasteland.
natural