Waste away Definition 1 of 2Pro Tip 1/3Health Context Use it to describe serious health decline, often due to illness or starvation. The patient began to waste away after months of battling the disease. Pro Tip 2/3Emotional Weight Conveys a sense of sadness or tragedy, often stirring empathy. Visitors were heartbroken to see the abandoned pets wasting away. Pro Tip 3/3Physical Appearance Implies noticeable physical changes, like extreme thinness or frailty. Without proper care, the once vibrant artist wasted away.