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.
Authorities say the body of the infant was found in a dumpster near the apartment where Onduto lived at the time. Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 5 Mar. 2026 Inside the dumpster, officers found a suitcase covered in Bagley’s blood. Rebecca Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 4 Mar. 2026 Video showed Kpaan running from the scene, taking off a blue sweater and putting it in a dumpster, charges say. Wcco Staff, CBS News, 1 Mar. 2026 The tallow bin was open, and grease accumulation was present on the ground around the bin and dumpster area. Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado, Sacbee.com, 27 Feb. 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 14 Mar. 2026.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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