DROSS Synonyms: 63 Similar and Opposite Words

dross

noun

ˈdräs

Definition of dross

as in garbage

discarded or useless material get rid of the dross before closing up the shop

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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.

Recent Examples of dross And we are asked to make the leap ourselves—men were also sacrificed as dross. — Literary Hub, 20 May 2026 The downside of all of these riches is the dross accompanying the gold. — Graham Hillard, The Washington Examiner, 27 Feb. 2026 What tabloid dross tends to obscure is his impressive career—first as a star dancer at the New York City Ballet, then as a roving choreographer of complex, dynamic work that is rooted in balletic conventions but not restricted by them. — Sara Krolewski, The Atlantic, 4 Jan. 2026 These meteors are the dross shed by the comet 169P/NEAT, whose path Earth crosses at this time each year. — Joe Rao, Space.com, 16 July 2025 Amongst all the dross and angst, Neil and Teddy try to talk everyone into investing in a baseball-card trading venture that might generate $500 in profits after a year. — Stephen Rodrick, Rolling Stone, 19 June 2025 But among the dross there gleam a few brilliant exceptions—deceptive, slippery books that defy the constraints of region and genre. — Charlie Lee, Harpers Magazine, 18 June 2025 The chipmaker is still raising cash and cutting costs though, as there seems to be quite a bit of dross. — Jim Cramer, CNBC, 25 Apr. 2025 Many experience mental health challenges on top of the physical toll of making something out of the unending dross Kantamanto is pummeled with. — Jasmin Malik Chua, Sourcing Journal, 3 Sep. 2019

Recent Examples of Synonyms for dross

Noun

Pumpkins get buried under other garbage in landfills and decompose without oxygen, releasing the potent greenhouse gas methane into the atmosphere.

— Dan Kelly, Kansas City Star, 3 Nov. 2026
All 32 packs of the above got sent into the garbage with Stop Sales.

— David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 3 Nov. 2026

Definition of garbage

Noun

The crash, which occurred in a flat stretch surrounded by olive fields in between the towns of Urda and Los Yébenes, left carriages shredded into bits of metal and other material, scattering debris down a gravel slope.

— JOSEPH WILSON, Arkansas Online, 29 Oct. 2026
This clarifying toner exfoliates skin to gently remove debris and dead skin cells, while rosemary, aloe, and chamomile extract soften and soothe.

— Lauren Valenti, Vogue, 29 Oct. 2026

Definition of debris

Noun

The robots are expected to handle several tasks, including stocking and organizing shelves, preparing coffee and hot food, greeting customers, and clearing rubbish.

— Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 2 Nov. 2026
Voters on Wednesday will elect councilors, who will then choose mayors to oversee municipal services, including water, sanitation and rubbish collection.

— ABC News, ABC News, 1 Nov. 2026

Definition of rubbish

Noun

Plus, most rooms have a recycling bin in addition to a trash bin in the larger kitchenettes and the custom mattresses are eco-friendly, US made, and toxin-free.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Nov. 2026
Thompson said the interior was also littered with trash, drugs and bodily fluids.

— CBS News, CBS News, 4 Nov. 2026

Definition of trash

Noun

Secret Santa aside, these budget-friendly gift ideas also make for some of the best stocking stuffers that aren’t junk, as well as gifts for friends, teachers, and co-workers.

— Jessie Quinn, StyleCaster, 2 Nov. 2026
Put junk into it, and more junk will come out, as the saying goes.

— Hadas Gold, CNN Money, 1 Nov. 2026

Definition of junk

Noun

But there are actual terrifying objects in space, entities operating on a scale that crush our minds and reduce our human experience to a mote of dust floating in the dark.

— Phil Plait, Scientific American, 30 Oct. 2026
Keep appliances clean and free of dust, following the manufacturer’s cleaning instructions.

— Lynn Andriani, Martha Stewart, 29 Oct. 2026

Definition of dust

Noun

Greg Hernandez separates materials from a pile of rubble during the teardown of the Cabrini-Green projects at 1157 and 1159 Cleveland Ave.

— Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 27 Oct. 2026
Rescue operations are underway as there are reports that people may be trapped under the rubble.

— ABC News, ABC News, 27 Oct. 2026

Definition of rubble

Browse Nearby Words

droshky

dross

drought

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“Dross.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dross. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

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Synonyms of dross

noun

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