sump

noun

ˈsəmp 

1

: a pit or reservoir serving as a drain or receptacle for liquids: such as

a

: cesspool

b

: a pit at the lowest point in a circulating or drainage system (such as the oil-circulating system of an internal combustion engine)

c

chiefly British : oil pan

2

British : crankcase

3

[German Sumpf, literally, marsh, from Middle High German — more at swamp]

a

: the lowest part of a mine shaft into which water drains

b

: an excavation ahead of regular work in driving a mine tunnel or sinking a mine shaft

4

: something resembling a sump : sink sense 2

Examples of sump in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Basement waterproofing, drain tile, or sump documentation including installation dates and warranty information. —Allison Palmer updated February 19, Kansas City Star, 19 Feb. 2026

It was upgraded with a lightweight OHV aluminum head, dual Weber carburetors and a dry-sump oil system. —Robert Ross, Robb Report, 13 Feb. 2026

OpenAI’s development of its own social network appears to be crystalizing around a singular mission: obliterate the bot problem that has made an endless and toxic sump of the platform formerly known as Twitter. —Anna Tong, Forbes.com, 28 Jan. 2026

Batteries buy breathing room; fuel generators buy runtime and the startup watts needed for motors like sump and well pumps. —Jennifer Jolly, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English sompe swamp — more at swamp

First Known Use

1680, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing sump

• sump pump

Rhymes for sump

• bump
• chump
• clump
• crump
• dump
• gump
• hump
• jump
• lump
• plump
• pump
• rump

Kids Definition

sump

noun

ˈsəmp 

: a pit or reservoir serving as a container or as a drain for liquids