garbage

noun

ˈgär-bij How to pronounce garbage (audio)
Definition of garbagenext
1
as in trash
discarded or useless material the stray dogs were looking for leftover food in the family's garbage

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in nonsense
language, behavior, or ideas that are absurd and contrary to good sense she was just talking garbage when she said that she was taking a loss on the sale of the house

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of garbage William Gottlieb’s suit also notes that Urban Zen hosts catered gatherings that generate food garbage, therefore creating fodder for the rats. — Matthew Sedacca, Curbed, 25 Aug. 2026 Once on the first floor, state police found that this area of the home was also cluttered with various things as well as large black garbage bags filled with unknown items, the search warrant said. — Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 25 Aug. 2026 Meanwhile, the three Romanians ditched the van, chucked their clothing into a garbage bin, and ordered a taxi to Heathrow Airport. — Cora Engelbrecht, New Yorker, 24 Aug. 2026 Beachgoers found large amounts of garbage strewn across the water's edge Saturday. — Nick Caloway, CBS News, 24 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for garbage
Recent Examples of Synonyms for garbage
  1. trash
  2. nonsense
  3. debris
  4. rubbish
  5. junk
  6. nuts
  7. dust
  8. blah
Noun
  • To paraphrase Tolstoy, all slop is alike, but every piece of trash is trashy in its own oddball way.
    — Becca Rothfeld, New Yorker, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Four months later, he was seen last weekend walking dogs, taking walks, enjoying a cup of coffee in a garage, and even stopping to sift through neighborhood trash items on the side of the street.
    — Kelsie Cairns, FOXNews.com, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of trash
Noun
  • Statham, who turned 59 this summer and is still in incredible shape, performs on his usual high-octane, no-time-for-nonsense level.
    — Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 24 Aug. 2026
  • The nonsense began last year as a stunt tied to a cryptocurrency group, but more recently has been linked to groups protesting league policies.
    — Greg Cote August 23, Miami Herald, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of nonsense
Noun
  • Hot rubber, tire debris, or other parts can also land on dry vegetation and ignite it.
    — Brandi D. Addison, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026
  • The infamous explosion covered Pompeii and Herculaneum in volcanic debris, immortalizing the final moments of the ancient Roman cities and some of their unfortunate inhabitants in stunning detail.
    — Margherita Bassi, Popular Science, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of debris
Noun
  • This comes at the expense of no movement in the wrist, but to be fair, having the lightsaber pointed in any other direction would look rubbish.
    — Matt Gardner, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026
  • Only construction waste will be accepted at the landfill such as, brush and rubbish, concrete, brick, rock, wood, paper, plastics, cardboard and roofing shingles and tiles.
    — Elizabeth Campbell, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 July 2026
Definition of rubbish
Noun
  • The Workshop will have a space to customize your own junk journal.
    — Carolyn Burt, Oc Register, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Utilities Another common sight in the kitchen is a junk or utility drawer (or two).
    — Sheila Kim, The Spruce, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of junk
Noun
  • White suggests nuts, popcorn, bite-size desserts, cheese boards, or, of course, nostalgic candy.
    — Heather Bien, Southern Living, 29 Aug. 2026
  • This is an uncomplicated yarn about a man prying open his heart and nudging other hard nuts to do the same.
    — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of nuts
Noun
  • Once the novelty wore off, many ended up in storerooms gathering dust.
    — Lyssanoel Frater, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026
  • This is because the material that serves as the building blocks for planets is constantly escaping the swirling platters of gas and dust, or protoplanetary disks, that wrap around infant stars.
    — Robert Lea, Space.com, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of dust
Noun
  • There's been some good, but, generally, it's just been sort of blah.
    — Zach Dean OutKick, FOXNews.com, 17 Aug. 2026
  • That’s where all the problems come from—the shrinkage, the color, blah, blah, blah.
    — Angela Velasquez, Footwear News, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of blah

Browse Nearby Words

garb
garbage
garbed
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Cite this Entry

“Garbage.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/garbage. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on garbage

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about garbage

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