rubbish

noun

rub·bish | \ ˈrə-bish

, dialectal -bij\

Definition of rubbish

1 : useless waste or rejected matter : trash

2 : something that is worthless or nonsensical few real masterpieces are forgotten and not much rubbish survives— William Bridges-Adams

Other Words from rubbish Synonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about rubbish

Keep scrolling for more

Examples of rubbish in a Sentence

Please, pick the rubbish up off the ground. I think what he says is absolute rubbish! “I'm sorry, but I had to do it.” “Rubbish!” The food at that restaurant is complete rubbish.

Recent Examples on the Web

Erick Uriel Sandoval is accused of helping burn the students’ bodies at a rubbish dump. — The Economist, "Politics this week," 15 Mar. 2018 Then, everyone except those in power was aware of the national crisis: strikes, rubbish in the streets, general malaise. — Benedict Kiely, National Review, "Pope Francis Gets His ‘Mess’," 9 Feb. 2018 Suction cups or oversized tongs attached to the arms snag cans, glass, plastic containers, and other recyclable items out of the rubbish and flick them into nearby bins. — Bryn Nelson /, NBC News, "How robots are reshaping one of the dirtiest, most dangerous jobs," 17 Apr. 2018 As a specialist in Maya civilization, Rathje was well practiced in the study of middens, heaps of ancient rubbish that had provided his field with most of its knowledge about Mesoamerican culture. — Jonathon Keats, Discover Magazine, "The Vanishing City," 13 Aug. 2018 Two wine barrels filled with human excrement, sand and gravel fragments, animal bones and an array of Renaissance-era rubbish have enabled Danish archaeologists to map the dietary and hygienic habits of a 17th-century Copenhagen neighborhood. — Meilan Solly, Smithsonian, "Archaeologists Unseal 17th-Century Danish Latrines to Discover Copenhageners’ Dietary Habits," 9 July 2018 But the season’s repertory (scheduled months ago by Mr. Martins) also contained 21st-century rubbish. — Alastair Macaulay, New York Times, "Taking the Pulse of New York City Ballet Without Peter Martins," 23 Feb. 2018 But dictatorships are rubbish at football, which requires more creativity and flair. — The Economist, "For all its faults, the World Cup in Russia is worth celebrating," 9 June 2018 Henry Cowell, who was probably the most prominent voice of American composers in his many articles and interviews in European and Soviet newspapers, always argued that such a version of Americanness was rubbish. — Jacob Dreyer, New York Times, "Chinese Composers With an Ear to the World," 12 Jan. 2018

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