There are many synonyms for the phrase "waste effort". Some of the most common synonyms for this phrase are "squander effort", "fritter away effort", "misuse effort", "throw away effort" and "expend effort in vain". Other synonyms include "waste time and energy", "useless effort", "fruitless effort" and "pointless effort". Regardless of the specific synonym used, the meaning remains the same: to put in effort and not achieve anything worthwhile. Understanding these synonyms can help you communicate more effectively, allowing you to describe wasted effort in a variety of ways to suit different situations and contexts.