trash

noun \ ˈtrash \

|Updated on: 14 Jun 2018

Definition of trash

1 : something worth little or nothing: such as

a : 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) : trash talk

(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

See trash defined for English-language learners

See trash defined for kids

Examples of trash in a Sentence

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.

Recent Examples of trash from the Web

The newspaper would be thrown way in the next day’s trash and the only proof of the offending idiotic column would be in the memory banks of few readers.

— mike bianchi, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Dumbest column I've ever written: Dwight Howard would be greater than LeBron James," 8 June 2018
In the kitchen are two dishwashers, a trash compactor and two disposal units.

— emma kate fittes, Indianapolis Star, "Hot Property: This $2.2 million Zionsville home is a super-sized Southern Living cottage," 8 June 2018
China's decision this year to stop accepting most imported scrap has meant lower prices for plastic and paper, placing greater pressure on cities and waste companies nationally and in Wisconsin to keep unwanted trash out of recycling bins.

— lee bergquist, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "China's ban on U.S. scrap is raising the issue of 'dirty' recyclables in Wisconsin," 8 June 2018
For example at a neighborhood school, Ayed discussed how trash and debris that collect in storm drains can prevent floodwater on the street from dissipating.

— noble ingram, The Christian Science Monitor, "How one woman in East Boston shares climate know-how with coastal neighbors," 7 June 2018
Police say they were given rotten food, clothes picked out of trash containers and unheated housing.

— Fox News, "Italian police arrest 5 Romanians for alleged exploitation," 7 June 2018
Another boy had a bloody nose after a fight and a third began vomiting into a classroom trash can.

— david owens, courant.com, "Montville High Administrators Plead Not Guilty In 'Fight Club' Case," 7 June 2018
The company also agreed to plant trees, add benches and a trash can, and make other improvements.

— john sowell, idahostatesman, "Panera Bread will open, then Hilton Garden Inn. Entryway to Downtown Boise takes shape," 6 June 2018
Captain Trash Wheel, the most recent addition to the trash wheel family, made its debut Tuesday afternoon in South Baltimore.

— lauren lumpkin, baltimoresun.com, "Captain Trash Wheel reports for duty at Masonville Cove in South Baltimore," 5 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'trash.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of trash

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

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: circa 1518

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year