gutter

noun

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gut·ter | \ ˈgə-tər

Definition of gutter

(Entry 1 of 3)

1a : a trough along the eaves to catch and carry off rainwater

b : a low area (as at the edge of a street) to carry off surface water (as to a sewer)

c : a trough or groove to catch and direct something the gutters of a bowling alley

2 : a white space formed by the adjoining inside margins of two facing pages (as of a book)

3 : the lowest or most vulgar level or condition of human life

gutter

verb

guttered; guttering; gutters

Definition of gutter (Entry 2 of 3)

transitive verb

1 : to cut or wear gutters in

2 : to provide with a gutter

intransitive verb

1a : to flow in rivulets

b of a candle : to melt away through a channel out of the side of the cup hollowed out by the burning wick

2 : to incline downward in a draft the candle flame guttering

gutter

adjective

Definition of gutter (Entry 3 of 3)

: of, relating to, or characteristic of the gutter especially : marked by extreme vulgarity, cheapness, or indecency gutter politics

Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Phrases Containing gutter Learn More About gutter

Examples of gutter in a Sentence

Noun one of his chores is to clean leaves and sticks out of the gutters before winter sets in rainwater running off the road into the gutters Adjective a novel that does a good job of rendering the gutter language of that stratum of society

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun Lenander, 15, was found months later raped and strangled and her body dumped in a gutter, the Times report said. — Fox News, 15 July 2022 The fire started when a nearby firework struck an exterior gutter, the department said. — Rosana Hughes, ajc, 19 June 2022 Krewson said the city received a complaint last August and issued a violation notice for things like peeling paint, rubbish, unlicensed vehicles in the lot and a hanging gutter that Damra said occurred during a storm and has since been fixed. — Thomas Jewell, cleveland, 11 Jan. 2022 Great because: Feet in the gutter, heads in the stars, Mötley Crüe made danger sound super fun. — Matt Wake | Mwake@al.com, al, 4 July 2022 While getting our gutters cleaned last fall, we were informed that the fascia board behind a 24-inch aluminum gutter had rotted. — Mark Philben, BostonGlobe.com, 23 Jan. 2022 After the election, McKinnon created an evil, gutter-dwelling troll based on Kellyanne Conway, senior counselor to Trump. — Dennis Romero, NBC News, 22 May 2022 Gutters Unlimited specializes in residential and commercial gutter installation services in the Cleveland area. — John Benson, cleveland, 26 Jan. 2022 At times, this sensuous lyricism even spills over into outright dreaminess, as the gutter of a book turns into the crevice between warm thighs or when Ahmed imagines a stylus drawing ink across his body, and eventually drawing blood from a wound. — Jessica Kiang, Variety, 7 Nov. 2021 Recent Examples on the Web: Verb Crews will be setting catch basins to grade, forming up curb and gutter cutout areas, and beginning to form up driveway aprons. — Linda Gandee, cleveland, 15 June 2020 Never mind the explicitness of that time’s memento mori, all the skulls and guttering candles. — Peter Schjeldahl, The New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2020 That might be a backhanded way of saying the Portofino is still wonderful—a four-wheeled panther, purring, prowling and guttering in the streets. — Dan Neil, WSJ, 23 Jan. 2020 The four of them are watching me, their faces, lit by the moon and the guttering candles on the table, concerned. — Longreads, 2 Jan. 2020 The cities can dictate whether or not it's curbed and guttered, concrete, setback limitations, the house size, the lot size and a number of other restrictions. — David Taylor, Houston Chronicle, 29 Mar. 2018 The flame of Indian paleontology may be guttering, but a few recent developments have buoyed spirits. — Sanjay Kumar, Science | AAAS, 4 Apr. 2018 Is the spirit of man extinguished at death like a candle guttered by a passing wind? — Pioneer Press Editorial Board, Twin Cities, 16 Apr. 2017 That sum would pay partially for street repaving, major bridge rehabilitation, and curb and gutter rehabilitation — all part of the Department of Public Works’ nearly $227 million bond request for deferred maintenance. — Jon Murray, The Denver Post, 15 May 2017 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'gutter.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of gutter

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined above

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Dictionary Entries Near gutter

guttée de sang

gutter

gutter away

Statistics for gutter

Last Updated

6 Aug 2022

Cite this Entry

“Gutter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gutter. Accessed 14 Aug. 2022.

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More Definitions for gutter

gutter

noun

gut·ter | \ ˈgə-tər

Kids Definition of gutter

1 : a trough along the eaves of a house to catch and carry off water

2 : a low area (as at the side of a road) to carry off surface water

gutter

noun

gut·ter | \ ˈgət-ər

Medical Definition of gutter

: a depressed furrow between body parts (as on the surface between a pair of adjacent ribs or in the dorsal wall of the body cavity on either side of the spinal column)