dumpster

noun

dump·​ster ˈdəm(p)-stər How to pronounce dumpster (audio)
variants or less commonly Dumpster
: a large trash receptacle

Examples of dumpster 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.
Here are 12 ways to use old socks that don’t involve a dumpster. Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 31 Dec. 2025 According to police and eyewitness testimony, McClinton killed Chisley near some dumpsters behind a Smart & Final in Fremont, then rode his bicycle to a friend’s home and made a chilling confession. Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 30 Dec. 2025 Using an Uber-like app, Last Mile enlists more than 850 volunteers to pick up food that would otherwise end up in dumpster and deliver it to local nonprofits that serve families in need. Alexander Coolidge, Cincinnati Enquirer, 24 Dec. 2025 The inspector found a dying roach near the mop sink and the outside dumpster lid was left open. Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for dumpster

Word History

Etymology

dump entry 1 + -ster (originally in the trademarked name Dempster Dumpster, applied to mechanically loaded refuse containers produced by the Dempster Brothers Company of Knoxville, Tennessee)

First Known Use

1937, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of dumpster was in 1937

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Dumpster.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dumpster. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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