dumps; dumped; dumping
1
: to put (something) somewhere in a quick and careless way
You can dump the coats on the bed.
I dumped the coffee down the drain.
The murderer dumped the body in the river.
—sometimes used figurativelyThe blizzard dumped three feet of snow in one night.
2
: to leave or get rid of (something or someone) quickly or without concern
They dumped [=left] their friends at the party and went home.
The team's coach was dumped [=fired] after a season of losses.
They had to dump [=quickly sell] most of their stock to pay off their debts.
3
informal
: to end a romantic relationship with (someone)
My girlfriend dumped me.
I got dumped yesterday.
4
: to get rid of (waste or garbage) especially in a secret and illegal way
The factory has been dumping waste into the river.
5
: to sell (goods) in foreign countries for less than what they would sell for in your own country
The company dumped its unsold parts on the U.S. market.
6
computers
: to copy or move (data) from a computer's memory to a disk, another computer, etc.
Dump the file to a disk.
plural dumps
1
: a place where waste (such as trash) is taken and left
We bring our trash to the town dump on Saturdays.
(US) a garbage dump
The site has become a toxic (waste) dump. [=a place where dangerous waste is left usually illegally]
2
: a place where military supplies are stored
an ammunition dump
3
informal
: a messy, dirty, and unpleasant place
I can't believe you live in this dump. [=pigsty]
What a dump!
4
computers
: an act of sending data stored in a computer to another place
a screen dump to the printer
Cite this Entry
“Dump.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/dump. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.
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