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.
She's seen adult children wait until their parents are away − or book them a trip to get them out of the house − and then go in with dumpsters, without asking, to get rid of their parents' things. Madeline Mitchell, USA Today, 28 May 2026 In 2004, a man was found laying near a Burger King’s dumpster in Richmond Hill, Georgia. Forbestv, Forbes.com, 25 May 2026 Blue dumpsters lined County Road 300 W, and tarps covered many roofs. Amy Lavalley, Chicago Tribune, 24 May 2026 The show closed with Colbert, Baumann, Wilson, Daniels and White destroying the Only in Monroe set in a dumpster. Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 23 May 2026 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 5 Jun. 2026.

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