trash

1 of 2

noun

1
: something worth little or nothing: such as
a
: things that are no longer useful or wanted and that have been thrown away : junk, rubbish
b(1)
: inferior or worthless writing or artistic matter (such as a television show)
especially : such matter intended purely for sensational entertainment
(2)
(3)
: empty talk : nonsense
2
: a worthless person
also : such persons as a group : riffraff
3
: something in a crumbled or broken condition or mass
especially : debris from pruning or processing plant material

trash

2 of 2

verb

trashed; trashing; trashes

transitive verb

1
: throw away sense 1
standards of reality and truth were trashedEdwin Diamond
2
3
4
: spoil, ruin
trashing the environment
5
: to subject to criticism or invective
especially : to disparage strongly
a film trashed by the critics

intransitive verb

: to trash something or someone

Examples of trash in a Sentence

Noun Take out the trash, please. I put the dirty diaper in the trash. I can't believe you're reading that trash. She thinks that they're all trash. Verb a computer program that trashes useless files The vacuum cleaner couldn't be fixed, so I trashed it. The apartment had been trashed. He says that the government's policies are trashing the environment.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
But despite the state’s best efforts to educate citizens on the importance of removing bird feeders, trash and food from yards, human-bear interactions continue to rise, showcasing a growing concern that bears are becoming less afraid of humans. Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 30 June 2025 On trash pickup days, cans should be set out the morning of, not the night before, officials said. Helena Wegner, Idaho Statesman, 27 June 2025
Verb
That trend also increases evaporation, fueling more rain that washes pollution like chemicals, dog poop and trash into canals and Biscayne Bay. Ashley Miznazi, Miami Herald, 30 June 2025 Iran likely would not have been able to breach its nonproliferation obligations — as reported by the U.N. International Atomic Energy Agency — had Trump not trashed the pact that President Obama and other world powers, including Russia, made with Iran to limit its nuclear program. Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 24 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for trash

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English trasch fallen leaves and twigs, perhaps of Scandinavian origin; akin to Norwegian dialect trask rubbish; Old Norse tros fallen leaves and twigs, Old English trus

First Known Use

Noun

circa 1529, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1902, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of trash was circa 1529

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Cite this Entry

“Trash.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/trash. Accessed 6 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

trash

noun
ˈtrash
1
: something of little or no value: as
b
: silly or worthless talk or works (as books)
2
: a low or worthless person
also : such persons as a group : rabble sense 2
trashy
ˈtrash-ē
adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on trash

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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