ashtray

noun

ash·​tray ˈash-ˌtrā How to pronounce ashtray (audio)
: a receptacle for tobacco ashes and for cigar and cigarette butts

Examples of ashtray in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
In addition, home goods keepsakes, priced $75 to $610, range from a set of four dessert plates by LAV and ashtray by Thnk1994 to a set of four cocktail napkins by No Reservations Shop. Emily Mercer, Footwear News, 9 Dec. 2025 Available in pink, blue, and orange, the semi-opaque objets d’art can double as ashtrays. Jenny Berg, Allure, 5 Dec. 2025 This little shell is the perfect place to stash life’s detritus (earbuds, jewelry, car keys) or it can be used as an ashtray, if so inclined. Melissa Locker, Time, 17 Nov. 2025 Amid towering speakers, gold records, stacks of videotapes, Sony Trinitrons, overflowing ashtrays, and a bar stocked with tequila and a lineup of squat green Dom Pérignon bottles sent over by the labels, the Les Garland Show streamed. Tom Freston, Vulture, 28 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for ashtray

Word History

First Known Use

1851, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of ashtray was in 1851

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Ashtray.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ashtray. Accessed 17 Dec. 2025.

Kids Definition

ashtray

noun
ash·​tray ˈash-ˌtrā How to pronounce ashtray (audio)
: a container for tobacco ashes and for cigar and cigarette butts

More from Merriam-Webster on ashtray

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!