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: something worth little or nothing: such as
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
trashed; trashing; trashes
: to trash something or someone
Synonyms
Example Sentences
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.
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Recent Examples on the Web
Elena Bruess, San Antonio Express-News, 26 Dec. 2022
Riot police officers fired tear gas and clashed with dozens of angry protesters who lit trash cans on fire and threw projectiles at the police.
—Aurelien Breeden, New York Times, 23 Dec. 2022
Riot police officers fired tear gas and clashed with dozens of angry protesters who lit trash cans on fire and threw projectiles at police.
—Aurelien Breeden, BostonGlobe.com, 23 Dec. 2022
The San Francisco Giants’ new $350 million man was in his third big-league season in 2017 when the Astros illegally used technology (and trash cans) on their way to the World Series championship.
—John Shea, San Francisco Chronicle, 14 Dec. 2022
According to her post, the vandals also broke spotlights and turned over trash cans.
—Mildred Fallen And Kendall Hyde, The Enquirer, 8 Dec. 2022
The amazing workhorse never disappointed, from cutting through stove top messes to sanitizing and cleaning trash cans, dust pans, and vacuums.
—Wendy Vazquez, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Dec. 2022
If water pressure becomes low, toilet flushing can become an issue, so fill bathtubs, clean 2-liter-size soda bottles, trash cans or other clean containers.
—Ann Maloney, Washington Post, 5 Dec. 2022
When Will and Kate finally stepped out onto the stage, the crowd erupted in cheers, with some even standing on trash cans to get a better view.
—Caroline Hallemann, Town & Country, 30 Nov. 2022
Time, 14 Jan. 2023
Kohberger's Elantra is seen on surveillance video in Albrightsville, Pennsylvania. Dec. 27 Law enforcement recovers trash from the Kohberger family home and sends the evidence to the Idaho State Laboratory for testing.
—Jennifer Borresen, USA Today, 14 Jan. 2023
Similar are dust devils, which are those little whirlwinds that whip up dirt on baseball infields and trash at the exterior corners of buildings.
—Doug Criss, CNN, 28 Nov. 2022
Supporters say the credits make sense because the removal of the recyclable materials leaves essentially only trash for the haulers to pick up.
—David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Oct. 2022
But the outlook does not assume that service levels will rise, even though Mayor Todd Gloria has said that’s a high priority, especially quality-of-life efforts focused on graffiti, potholes and trash in parks and neighborhoods.
—David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Nov. 2022
Why did Tom Emmer tell his consultants to run to the leftwing Daily Beast to trash Jim Banks, Tucker Carlson and Tucker's family?
—Rafi Schwartz, The Week, 8 Nov. 2022
Rusty gates at the ends of alleys lead to dark maws that are filled with memories of war, and sometimes trash or bats — or an altar or restaurant annex.
—Amy Chang Chien, New York Times, 6 Nov. 2022
Supermarket chains in Britain started removing date labels on produce after research showed that including them led people to trash perfectly good food.
—Somini Sengupta, BostonGlobe.com, 13 Oct. 2022
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Noun
The little pine trees, some still topped with fake snow or lights, are often tossed to the side of the road or dumped into trash cans, ultimately ending up decomposing in landfills.
—Elena Bruess, San Antonio Express-News, 26 Dec. 2022
Riot police officers fired tear gas and clashed with dozens of angry protesters who lit trash cans on fire and threw projectiles at the police.
—Aurelien Breeden, New York Times, 23 Dec. 2022
Riot police officers fired tear gas and clashed with dozens of angry protesters who lit trash cans on fire and threw projectiles at police.
—Aurelien Breeden, BostonGlobe.com, 23 Dec. 2022
The San Francisco Giants’ new $350 million man was in his third big-league season in 2017 when the Astros illegally used technology (and trash cans) on their way to the World Series championship.
—John Shea, San Francisco Chronicle, 14 Dec. 2022
According to her post, the vandals also broke spotlights and turned over trash cans.
—Mildred Fallen And Kendall Hyde, The Enquirer, 8 Dec. 2022
The amazing workhorse never disappointed, from cutting through stove top messes to sanitizing and cleaning trash cans, dust pans, and vacuums.
—Wendy Vazquez, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Dec. 2022
If water pressure becomes low, toilet flushing can become an issue, so fill bathtubs, clean 2-liter-size soda bottles, trash cans or other clean containers.
—Ann Maloney, Washington Post, 5 Dec. 2022
When Will and Kate finally stepped out onto the stage, the crowd erupted in cheers, with some even standing on trash cans to get a better view.
—Caroline Hallemann, Town & Country, 30 Nov. 2022
Verb
Scott Pelley was really asking how a respectable government official, a rule upholder, regards those who trash those standards.
—Time, 14 Jan. 2023
Kohberger's Elantra is seen on surveillance video in Albrightsville, Pennsylvania. Dec. 27 Law enforcement recovers trash from the Kohberger family home and sends the evidence to the Idaho State Laboratory for testing.
—Jennifer Borresen, USA Today, 14 Jan. 2023
Similar are dust devils, which are those little whirlwinds that whip up dirt on baseball infields and trash at the exterior corners of buildings.
—Doug Criss, CNN, 28 Nov. 2022
Supporters say the credits make sense because the removal of the recyclable materials leaves essentially only trash for the haulers to pick up.
—David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Oct. 2022
But the outlook does not assume that service levels will rise, even though Mayor Todd Gloria has said that’s a high priority, especially quality-of-life efforts focused on graffiti, potholes and trash in parks and neighborhoods.
—David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Nov. 2022
Why did Tom Emmer tell his consultants to run to the leftwing Daily Beast to trash Jim Banks, Tucker Carlson and Tucker's family?
—Rafi Schwartz, The Week, 8 Nov. 2022
Rusty gates at the ends of alleys lead to dark maws that are filled with memories of war, and sometimes trash or bats — or an altar or restaurant annex.
—Amy Chang Chien, New York Times, 6 Nov. 2022
Supermarket chains in Britain started removing date labels on produce after research showed that including them led people to trash perfectly good food.
—Somini Sengupta, BostonGlobe.com, 13 Oct. 2022
See More
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.
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
Phrases Containing trash
Articles Related to trash
Dictionary Entries Near trash
Cite this Entry
“Trash.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/trash. Accessed 26 Jan. 2023.
More from Merriam-Webster on trash
Nglish: Translation of trash for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of trash for Arabic Speakers
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