garbage

noun

gar·​bage ˈgär-bij 

1

a

: food waste

b

: discarded or useless material

2

a

: trash sense 1b

b

: inaccurate or useless data

Synonyms of garbage

• trash
• debris
• rubbish
• junk
• dust
• litter
• sewage
• truck

Examples of garbage in a Sentence

The park was littered with garbage.

Please take out the garbage.

Raccoons were going through the garbage.

Throw the can in the garbage.

If you ask me, what he said is a bunch of garbage.

Recent Examples on the Web

Outside bulk garbage receptacle lacks a drain plug installed. — Nwa Democrat-Gazette, Arkansas Online, 19 Oct. 2026

In 2021, the Boise National Forest took to Facebook, urging visitors to pick up after themselves and sharing a photo of large garbage piles in a restroom. — Harllie Stevenson, Idaho Statesman, 19 Oct. 2026

Still, the idea could potentially become one of the most effective, affordable, and sustainable ways of controlling garbage odors. — Maryna Holovnova, New Atlas, 19 Oct. 2026

For properties other than single-family homes and duplexes, the statute addresses reasonable provisions for clean and safe common areas along with services such as garbage removal and extermination of certain pests. — Emma Clapp, Miami Herald, 16 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, "poultry organs and body parts used for food, poultry refuse," borrowed from Anglo-French *garbage (implied in sergant garbagere "kitchen servant tasked with plucking and cleaning poultry"), of obscure origin

Note: On morphological, semantic, or chronological grounds unlikely to be related to Anglo-French garbeler, Middle English garbelen "to remove (impurities) from spices" (see garble entry 1) or to Middle French gaburge, grabuge "quarrel, brawl." The Anglo-French collocation sergant garbagere indicates currency of the word as early as 1318 (Household Ordinances of Edward II).

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing garbage

• a lot of garbage/nonsense
• garbage can
• garbage disposal
• garbage time
• garbage truck

Kids Definition

garbage

noun

gar·​bage ˈgär-bij 

1

: food waste

2

: discarded or useless material : refuse

3

: something inferior, worthless, or useless

a show that's garbage