wasteland

wasteland — 名詞

1. An area of ground, especially in or around cities, that has been ruined or negle

1.名詞B2
釋義

荒地

荒蕪廢棄而無用的空地

An area of ground, especially in or around cities, that has been ruined or neglected so that nothing useful can grow and no buildings remain in usable condition.

例句

The old factory was torn down, leaving a wasteland of broken bricks and weeds.

舊工廠被拆除後，留下一片滿是碎磚和雜草的荒地。

collocation: a wasteland of [rubble/bricks/weeds]

Beyond the city limits, a vast wasteland stretched for miles with no trees or water.

市區邊界之外，一片廣闊的荒地綿延數英里，看不見樹木或水源。

同義詞
  • desert

    a dry, sandy region with very little water; less specific to human-caused ruin

  • wilderness

    a wild natural area untouched by development; not necessarily ruined or barren

  • barren land

    land where crops cannot grow; narrower in meaning, focusing only on infertility

反義詞

文法句型

[adjective] + wasteland

a wasteland of [something]

用法筆記

Often used with adjectives like 'industrial', 'urban', or 'nuclear' to describe the type of damage or neglect.

常見錯誤

❌I forgot to water my plants, so the garden became a wasteland.
✅I forgot to water my plants, so they all died.
💡'wasteland' implies a large area with severe, lasting damage, not just neglected plants.

2. A period, situation, or area of life that offers nothing positive, interesting,

2.名詞B2
釋義

荒漠

缺乏正面事物的環境或時期

A period, situation, or area of life that offers nothing positive, interesting, or mentally stimulating.

例句

The years after the war were a cultural wasteland with no new music or art.

戰後的幾年是一片文化荒漠，沒有新的音樂或藝術。

collocation: cultural/intellectual/spiritual wasteland

Adaeze felt her small town was an intellectual wasteland where nobody discussed ideas.

Adaeze 覺得她的小鎮是個知識荒漠，沒有人討論想法。

同義詞
  • desert

    used similarly in phrases like 'cultural desert'; slightly more literary

  • void

    emphasizes complete emptiness; more abstract and emotional in tone

  • dead zone

    informal; emphasizes lack of activity or growth in a particular area

反義詞
  • hub

    a center of vibrant activity, culture, or production

文法句型

[adjective] + wasteland

a wasteland of [something]

用法筆記

Almost always used with a preceding adjective or noun modifier that specifies the missing quality — e.g., 'cultural', 'intellectual', 'spiritual', or 'creative'. Rarely used alone without a modifier.

常見錯誤

❌After the party, the living room was a wasteland of empty cups.
✅After the party, the living room was covered in empty cups.
💡'wasteland' suggests a serious, long-lasting lack of positive qualities, not just temporary mess.