Wastage of something is the act of wasting it or the amount of it that is wasted.
...a series of measures to prevent the wastage of water. [+ of]
There was a lot of wastage and many wrong decisions were hastily taken.
2. uncountable noun
Wastage is the process by which part of someone's body gets weaker or smaller because they are very ill or have not eaten enough.
This can lead to bodily weakness and muscle wastage.
...the terrible wastage of his lungs.
3. uncountable noun
Wastage refers to the number of people who leave a company, college, or other organization, especially before they have completed their education or training.
[British]
British universities have very little wastage and their graduates are good.
Wages are low and the wastage rate of staff is high.
4. See also natural wastage
wastage in British English
(ˈweɪstɪdʒ)
noun
1.
anything lost by wear or waste
2.
the process of wasting
3.
reduction in size of a workforce by retirement, voluntary resignation, etc (esp in the phrase natural wastage)
▶ USAGE Waste and wastage are to some extent interchangeable, but many people think that wastage should not be used to refer to loss resulting from human carelessness, inefficiency,etc: a waste (not a wastage) of time/money/effort etc
wastage in American English
(ˈweɪstɪdʒ)
noun
1.
loss by use, decay, deterioration, etc.
2.
anything wasted, or the amount of this; waste
3. Geology
a.
the processes by which snow and ice masses are reduced by melting, evaporation, etc.
b.
the amount of material lost through these processes
Examples of 'wastage' in a sentence
wastage
It also leads to muscle wastage in frail patients, who remain in bed without moving.
The Sun (2017)
We cannot afford this wastage of our best young minds.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
We must decide whether we are serious about environmental blight and energy wastage or not.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
There is no muscle wastage here and she eats healthily.
The Sun (2013)
This approach hopes for happy natural wastage.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
She has a rare progressive genetic condition that reduces her nerve fibres and results in muscle wastage.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
Membership should be reduced by natural wastage and no new entrants allowed until the number is halved.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
It causes progressive muscle wastage and death.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Existing crew will be offered voluntary redundancy or leave through natural wastage.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
His weight loss has resulted in muscle wastage in his legs.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
He had lost half his body weight and suffered muscle wastage during his time in hospital.
The Sun (2009)
The hope is that job losses of about 1,000 will be obtained by natural wastage.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Many of the 1,000 bingo cuts were natural wastage.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
These included physical exhaustion, muscle wastage and infertility.
Oliver Poole BLACK KNIGHTS: On the Bloody Road to Baghdad (2003)
Jobs will be lost, mainly through natural wastage.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Slowly his mood improved, although his long confinement in a hospital room led to muscle wastage.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Given the large and flexible workforce, much of this can be sorted out through natural wastage.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
With enough notice, organisations can cut job numbers through natural wastage rather than by making people redundant.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
Milk yields of infected dairy cattle can drop by 40 per cent and some animals that survive suffer muscle wastage.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
The organisation will hire more new officers in the next few months than the total it lost through voluntary redundancy and natural wastage last year.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
It would also be useful for astronauts spending long periods in space, where the lack of gravity leads to muscle wastage.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
Such a drug would not remove the need to exercise to build up muscles, but it would protect existing muscles against subsequent wastage.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
Food wastage is also something people are more conscious of now, and storing food in containers is preferable to throwing it in the bin.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Furthermore, energy wastage should be viewed as socially unacceptable, as it is in some other countries.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
He expresses fears for Britain's farming industry and raises matters such as food wastage and the preservation of rare breeds.
The Sun (2013)
It is equally clear that, for a department with such a long track record of energy wastage, it should not be hard to make improvements.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
In other languages
wastage
British English: wastage NOUN
Wastage of something is the act of wasting it or the amount of it that is wasted.
...a series of measures to prevent the wastage of water.