waist
/ˈweɪst/
noun
Common
1.n.the narrowing of the body between the ribs and hips
2.n.the narrow part of the shoe connecting the heel and the wide part of the sole
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waist and waste are homophones: they are pronounced identically and spelled differently, which is why they are so often swapped. waist means “the narrowing of the body between the ribs and hips”. waste means “spend thoughtlessly; throw away”. waste is the more common of the two in everyday English.
/ˈweɪst/
1.n.the narrowing of the body between the ribs and hips
2.n.the narrow part of the shoe connecting the heel and the wide part of the sole
/ˈweɪst/
| waist | waste | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˈweɪst/ | /ˈweɪst/ |
| Said | wayst | wayst |
| Syllables | 1 | 1 |
| Letters | 5 | 5 |
| Parts of speech | noun | verb, noun, adjective |
| Senses | 2 | 16 |
| How common | Common | Core |
| Synonyms | waistline | blow, squander |
Full entry for waist · Full entry for waste · More comparisons
1.v.spend thoughtlessly; throw away
“He wasted his inheritance on his insincere friends”
2.v.use inefficiently or inappropriately
“waste heat”
3.v.get rid of
“We waste the dirty water by channeling it into the sewer”