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

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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

Prosecutors said Aurora was one of seven children, ages 2 months to 17 years, who lived in an east San José house on Lancelot Lane that was filled with cockroaches, pet feces, garbage and mold.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2026
Clean your car full of garbage elsewhere and don’t hold up a line of customers.

— Ticked Off, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of garbage

Noun

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle pledged another $8 million to continue clearing debris from south suburban areas affected by the August storms.

— Jeremy Gorner, Chicago Tribune, 9 Oct. 2026
The seemingly never-ending saga in the 600 block of Martel Avenue, just south of Melrose Avenue, came to a head in April 2024, when city crews removed seven tons of trash and debris that attracted rodents and a host of insects.

— CBS News, CBS News, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of debris

Noun

Twisted Teens are far from rubbish, but that isn't stopping them from playing in the trash for their latest music video.

— Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 7 Oct. 2026
This comes at the expense of no movement in the wrist, but to be fair, having the lightsaber pointed in any other direction would look rubbish.

— Matt Gardner, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026

Definition of rubbish

Noun

Officers in riot gear clashed with youths who set up street barricades using burning trash bins.

— ABC News, ABC News, 14 Oct. 2026
In another demonstration, Argon helped a Boston Dynamics Spot robot practice opening a foot-pedal trash bin in simulation before attempting the task with physical objects.

— Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of trash

Noun

According to one court filing, walls were streaked with mold and had been left unpainted despite promises for a refresh, and the light fixtures above the table were layered with dust.

— Matthew Sedacca, Curbed, 8 Oct. 2026
The astronauts were also on the lookout for swarms of lunar dust.

— Robin George Andrews, Scientific American, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of dust

Noun

Her body was found while clearing rubble and fighting a fire at the site, Tymur Tkachenko, head of the regional military administration, said Friday.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 10 Oct. 2026
Earlier, Davut Gul, the governor of Istanbul, said rescuers had made contact with a 6-year-old trapped in the rubble.

— ABC News, ABC News, 8 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 16 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of dross

noun

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