rubbish

noun

rub·​bish ˈrə-bish 

dialectal -bij

1

: useless waste or rejected matter : trash

2

: something that is worthless or nonsensical

… few real masterpieces are forgotten and not much rubbish survives.

—William Bridges-Adams

rubbishy

ˈrə-bə-shē 

adjective

Synonyms of rubbish

• garbage
• debris
• trash
• junk
• dust

Examples of rubbish in a Sentence

Please, pick the rubbish up off the ground.

I think what he says is absolute rubbish!

“I'm sorry, but I had to do it.” “Rubbish!”

The food at that restaurant is complete rubbish.

Recent Examples on the Web

The robots are expected to handle several tasks, including stocking and organizing shelves, preparing coffee and hot food, greeting customers, and clearing rubbish. — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 2 Nov. 2026

Voters on Wednesday will elect councilors, who will then choose mayors to oversee municipal services, including water, sanitation and rubbish collection. — ABC News, 1 Nov. 2026

Both men were arrested and charged with criminal mischief, criminal conspiracy and scattering rubbish. — Madeleine Wright, CBS News, 28 Oct. 2026

Twisted Teens are far from rubbish, but that isn't stopping them from playing in the trash for their latest music video. — Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 7 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English robous

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing rubbish

• rubbish bin
• rubbish tip/dump

Kids Definition

rubbish

noun

rub·​bish ˈrəb-ish 

: useless waste or stuff that has been thrown away : trash

rubbishy

-ē 

adjective