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 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 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

In the wake of Hurricane Matthew in South Carolina last year, sludge stood feet deep in homes for days.

— james hamblin, The Atlantic, "The Looming Consequences of Breathing Mold," 30 Aug. 2017
A long-term cleanup process is still unfolding at the two other sites, although some preliminary work such as fencing, capping and sludge removal has been conducted.

— frank kummer, Philly.com, "Nine residents sue Sherwin-Williams over South Jersey Superfund sites," 25 Aug. 2017
Cancer research, sterilizing sludge out in Deer Island (a waste-disposal facility), all sorts of wondrous things.

— margaret hartmann, Daily Intelligencer, "Trump Thinks About Nuclear Annihilation a Lot, But Doesn’t Know Much About It," 20 Aug. 2017
Faith is a force not to be reckoned with, not even in the face of millions of gallons of additional industrial sludge and human waste dumped upriver on a daily basis.

— david jefferys, CNT, "The Healing Power of India’s Ganges River," 10 Aug. 2017
Beneath Hanford a massive underground glacier of radioactive sludge is moving slowly, but relentlessly, toward the Columbia River.

— michael lewis, The Hive, "Why the Scariest Nuclear Threat May Be Coming from Inside the White House," 2 Aug. 2017
Beneath Hanford a massive underground glacier of radioactive sludge is moving slowly, but relentlessly, toward the Columbia River.

— michael lewis, The Hive, "Why the Scariest Nuclear Threat May Be Coming from Inside the White House," 2 Aug. 2017
The engine room, near where the fire had begun, was half-flooded, with ladders that descended into inky sludge.

— Bloomberg.com, "The Hijacking of the Brillante Virtuoso," 27 July 2017
Beneath Hanford a massive underground glacier of radioactive sludge is moving slowly, but relentlessly, toward the Columbia River.

— michael lewis, vanityfair.com, "Why the Scariest Nuclear Threat May Be Coming from Inside the White House," 26 July 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 Synonyms

Synonyms

guck (or gook), mire, muck, ooze, slime, slop, mud, slush

Related Words

gumbo, silt; clay, dirt, gravel, humus, loam, sand, soil

SLUDGE Defined for English Language Learners

sludge

play

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

SLUDGE Defined for Kids

sludge

play

noun \ ˈsləj \

Definition of sludge for Students

:a soft muddy mass resulting from sewage treatment

Medical Dictionary

sludge

play

noun \ ˈsləj \

medical Definition of sludge

:a semisolid precipitated mass or deposit

biliary sludge

; especially :sludged blood

sludge

intransitive verb

medical Definition of sludge

sludged; sludging

:to form sludge

positions that cause blood to sludge
—L. K. Altman

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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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Definition of sludge

sludgy

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sludge

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sludge

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sludge

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sludge

medical Definition of sludge

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