sludge

play

noun \ˈsləj\

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

sludgy

play \ˈslə-jē\ adjective

See sludge defined for English-language learners

See sludge defined for kids

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

Some of the most devastating pictures after big oil spills are of seabirds coated in black sludge.

— ryan cross, Science | AAAS, "Top stories: The secrets of Roman concrete, superfast stars, and making a pox from mail-order DNA," 7 July 2017
Some of the most devastating pictures after big oil spills are of seabirds coated in black sludge.

— giorgia guglielmi, Science | AAAS, "Even tiny amounts of oil could doom seabirds," 5 July 2017
The first time, sludge sloshed over the back of the truck when the driver braked hard to avoid hitting a deer.

— Washington Post, "US won’t fine company for spilling radioactive sludge," 5 July 2017
That was enough to sell the practice to me, even though, back then, sunscreen was essentially pore-clogging sludge.

— ashley weatherford, The Cut, "Here’s a Way to Reapply Sunscreen Without Ruining Your Makeup," 26 June 2017
Waste heat from the turbines has been used in drying of sewage sludge in the production of Milorganite fertilizer.

— don behm, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District approves deal to buy landfill gas from Waste Management," 26 June 2017
The wax sticks melted into a rainbow sludge of colors.

— madison park, CNN, "Two deaths reported in California amid scorching heat wave," 22 June 2017
The landfill, opened in 1961, obliterated Duck Lake, filling the 25-foot-deep body of water with a largely unregulated mix of sludge from the plant next door and household garbage.

— andres viglucci, miamiherald, "Say bye to Virginia Key’s toxic old landfill, and hi to Miami’s biggest park," 15 June 2017
A pit at a Duke Energy plant in North Carolina ruptured in 2014, coating miles of the Dan River in gray sludge.

— emery p. dalesio, The Seattle Times, "Insurers: We’re off the hook, Duke Energy knew coal ash risk," 14 June 2017

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

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First Known Use: 15th century

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SLUDGE Defined for English Language Learners

sludge

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noun

Definition of sludge for English Language Learners

: thick, soft, wet mud
: a soft, thick material that is produced in various industrial processes (such as in the treatment of sewage)
: a thick material that can form in the oil in an engine and cause engine problems