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.
For starters, the dumpsters full of Oscar red carpet material were actually en route to being recycled, confirms Rob Thiess, co-director of the California Carpet Stewardship Program of CARE (the Carpet America Recovery Effort). Kirsten Chuba, HollywoodReporter, 22 Apr. 2026 She’s been knocked off ladders and thrown in dumpsters, and yet, strings of bad luck have kept her off the WrestleMania card for the last three years. Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 17 Apr. 2026 Prosecutors said he was seen on surveillance video trying to hide her body behind a dumpster. Shardaa Gray, CBS News, 15 Apr. 2026 Dumpsters will be at 1815 North Sheridan Road in the 7th Ward, and 2255 West Yorkhouse Road in the 8th Ward on Wednesday. Steve Sadin, Chicago Tribune, 15 Apr. 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 25 Apr. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

More from Merriam-Webster