sludge
noun
\
Definition of sludge
2 : a muddy or slushy mass, deposit, or sediment: such as
a : precipitated solid matter produced by water and sewage treatment processes
b : muddy sediment in a steam boiler
c : a precipitate or settling (such as a mixture of impurities and acid) from a mineral oil
3 : slush sense 5
Keep scrolling for more
Other Words from sludge
\
adjective
Synonyms for sludge
Synonyms
guck (or gook), mire, muck, mud, ooze, slime, slop, slush
Visit the Thesaurus for More
Examples of sludge in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Hall was not always opposed to the sludge operation using the rail yard in Parrish. — Dennis Pillion, AL.com, "Sewage sludge train cars in Birmingham to be moved after 'death smell' complaints," 6 Mar. 2018 Harrington is an expert who got the idea after being called in to help clean up after the Gold King Mine blowout in southern Colorado, which unleashed toxic sludge into waterways. — Alicia Acuna, Fox News, "Colorado town hopes to strike gold by converting abandoned mine into fresh water reservoir," 3 July 2018 Pictures taken in 1992 show standing pools of black sludge where two underground storage tanks were removed. — Brian Slodysko, Houston Chronicle, "Pence family gas stations left costly environmental legacy," 13 July 2018 Pictures taken in 1992 show standing pools of black sludge where two underground storage tanks were removed. — Brian Slodysko, chicagotribune.com, "Cleanup of Pence family gas stations cost Indiana more than $20 million," 13 July 2018 Fallen trees and sludge are blocking tunnels on the main highways, slowing the flow of goods in mountainous Japan. — Mayumi Negishi, WSJ, "Japan Flooding, Mudslides Kill More Than a Hundred People," 9 July 2018 Sometimes Colombo will unearth old coins, bottles or jewelry in the sand and sludge. — Lizzie Johnson, San Francisco Chronicle, "Stinson Beach parking lot still crumbling after storm — and fix is uncertain," 10 Apr. 2018 The sludge is a byproduct of New Yorkers’ excrement. — Washington Post, "Alabama mayor: ‘Poop train’ finally empty; sludge gone," 19 Apr. 2018 The landfill in Adamsville got approval in December 2016 from the Alabama Department of Environmental Management to import the sludge from seven wastewater treatment plants in New York and New Jersey to use as alternative cover for the landfill. — Dennis Pillion, AL.com, "New York poop train won't derail Parrish Coal Fest," 6 Apr. 2018These 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.
Keep scrolling for more
Keep scrolling for more
More Definitions for sludge
sludge
noun
English Language Learners Definition of sludge
: 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
See the full definition for sludge in the English Language Learners Dictionary
sludge
noun
\
Kids Definition of sludge
: a soft muddy mass resulting from sewage treatment
sludge
noun
\
Medical Definition of sludge
(Entry 1 of 2)
: a semisolid precipitated mass or deposit biliary sludge especially : sludged blood
sludge
intransitive verbMedical Definition of sludge (Entry 2 of 2)
: to form sludge positions that cause blood to sludge— L. K. Altman
Keep scrolling for more
Comments on sludge
What made you want to look up sludge? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
Test Your Vocabulary
Words from Greek and Roman Mythology Quiz
-
- Boreal comes from the name of the ancient Greek god of which wind?
Test your visual vocabulary with our 10-question challenge!
TAKE THE QUIZ
Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.
TAKE THE QUIZLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridgedWords at Play
Ask the Editors
Word Games
-
Words from Greek and Roman Mythology Quiz
A mythological/etymological mashup!
Take the quiz -
Great Scrabble Words—A Quiz
Words to improve your Scrabble game
Take the quiz -
Name That Thing
Test your visual vocabulary with our 10-question challenge!
Take the quiz -
SCRABBLE® Sprint
SCRABBLE® fans, sharpen your skills!
Play the game
Share sludge
Resources for sludge