Definition of sludge
1 : mud, mire; especially : a muddy deposit (as on a riverbed) : ooze
2 : a muddy or slushy mass, deposit, or sediment: such asa : precipitated solid matter produced by water and sewage treatment processesb : muddy sediment in a steam boilerc : a precipitate or settling (such as a mixture of impurities and acid) from a mineral oil
3 : slush 5
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Examples of sludge in a Sentence
after a day of heavy rain, the fairgrounds had turned into pure sludge
I can't bring myself to read that sludge.
Recent Examples of sludge from the Web
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And Pry was making plans to finish the sides with a sludge-like coating to give guests a better sense of the muddy hell these soldiers endured with little sleep.
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Arauz leans his upper body into the exhaust and emerges holding a plastic cup filled with black sludge — a heavy-metal cocktail of cadmium, lead, and arsenic.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'sludge'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of sludge
Middle English slugge, perhaps alteration of slicche mud, slush; akin to Old High German slīh mire
First Known Use: 15th century
SLUDGE Defined for English Language Learners
sludge
playDefinition of sludge for English Language Learners
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: thick, soft, wet mud
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: a soft, thick material that is produced in various industrial processes (such as in the treatment of sewage)
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: a thick material that can form in the oil in an engine and cause engine problems
SLUDGE Defined for Kids
sludge
playDefinition of sludge for Students
: a soft muddy mass resulting from sewage treatment
Medical Dictionary
Medical Definition of sludge
: a semisolid precipitated mass or deposit biliary sludge; especially : sludged blood
sludge
Medical Definition of sludge
sludged
;sludging
: to form sludge positions that cause blood to sludge—L. K. Altman
Learn More about sludge
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See words that rhyme with sludge Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for sludge Spanish Central: Translation of sludge Nglish: Translation of sludge for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of sludge for Arabic speakers
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