wastebasket
noun
waste·bas·ket
ˈwās(t)-ˌba-skət 
: a receptacle for refuse and especially for wastepaper
called also wastepaper basket
Examples of wastebasket in a Sentence
She tossed the wrapper into the wastebasket.
Recent Examples on the Web
There was also a wastebasket, tom-tom, and the seats of four chairs all made out of human skin.
—
Elizabeth Yuko, Rolling Stone, 1 Oct. 2025
Often overlooked areas where these dangers can hide include wastebaskets, under couches, and in desk drawers.
—Nicole Kinning, Wired News, 6 Sep. 2025
To make a few dollars, Schuyler agreed to type Auden’s poems but was busted fishing his employer’s drafts out of the wastebasket.
—Dan Chiasson, New Yorker, 4 Aug. 2025
For added freshness, soak a cotton round in drops of your favorite essential oil before replacing the garbage bag in your wastebasket.
—Mary Catherine McAnnally Scott, Southern Living, 5 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for wastebasket
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.
Elizabeth Yuko, Rolling Stone, 1 Oct. 2025
Often overlooked areas where these dangers can hide include wastebaskets, under couches, and in desk drawers.
—Nicole Kinning, Wired News, 6 Sep. 2025
To make a few dollars, Schuyler agreed to type Auden’s poems but was busted fishing his employer’s drafts out of the wastebasket.
—Dan Chiasson, New Yorker, 4 Aug. 2025
For added freshness, soak a cotton round in drops of your favorite essential oil before replacing the garbage bag in your wastebasket.
—Mary Catherine McAnnally Scott, Southern Living, 5 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for wastebasket
Cite this Entry
“Wastebasket.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wastebasket. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
wastebasket
noun
waste·bas·ket
ˈwās(t)-ˌbas-kət
: an open container for trash and especially wastepaper
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share