as in garbage
discarded or useless material
get rid of the dross before closing up the shop
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Recent Examples of dross
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
After the dross of Bruno Lage, and the chaos of Lopetegui, Gary O'Neil came in and created unity.
—Steve Madeley, The Athletic, 21 Jan. 2025
Could the cotton dross, for instance, enhance a food product’s nutritional profile?
—Jasmin Malik Chua, Sourcing Journal, 3 Sep. 2019
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
After the dross of Bruno Lage, and the chaos of Lopetegui, Gary O'Neil came in and created unity.
—Steve Madeley, The Athletic, 21 Jan. 2025
Could the cotton dross, for instance, enhance a food product’s nutritional profile?
—Jasmin Malik Chua, Sourcing Journal, 3 Sep. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dross
Noun
-
Keep garbage bins covered and clean them frequently to remove sticky foods.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
The Spruce,
7 Mar. 2026
-
It has been used as a military camp, garbage dump, and recreational area throughout its history.—
Madeline Coleman,
New York Times,
6 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Suggestions for this zone are to remove combustible items and vegetation; screen vents and fill gaps in or totally enclose eaves; and clear debris from a home’s roof, gutters and deck.—
Julie Gallant,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
5 Mar. 2026
-
In both cases, the damage seems to have stemmed from attacks on nearby ports or from falling debris from drone interceptions.—
Michael Christopher Low,
The Conversation,
5 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Ford Aerospace Company was nearby, but the immediate area was known more for a buffalo ranch and a landfill, where residents of Santa Ana and other nearby cities would drop off rubbish in Newport Beach.—
Richard Dunn,
Oc Register,
5 Mar. 2026
-
Piles of human scraps offer a bottomless buffet to wildlife, and to access that bounty, animals need to be bold enough to rummage through human rubbish but not so bold as to become a threat to people.—
Marina Wang,
Scientific American,
14 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Three makeshift camps have been closed as a result of people finding housing, including a more permanent Fountain Square camp that garnered media coverage after residents called attention to growing piles of trash and reports of animal abuse.—
Alysa Guffey,
IndyStar,
6 Mar. 2026
-
On Monday, the Lincoln Club announced a ballot initiative to repeal the trash tax and deliver real relief.—
Bradley Schnell,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
6 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The ratings agency downgraded Paramount’s debt to junk.—
Lucas Shaw,
Bloomberg,
9 Mar. 2026
-
The more junk goes in—unverified claims, conspiracies, Astroturf campaigns, low‑quality commentary—the more polished junk comes out.—
Catherina Gioino,
Fortune,
9 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Remove as much dust as possible to improve the bonding of the tile adhesive.—
Kamron Sanders,
Better Homes & Gardens,
8 Mar. 2026
-
This is the atmosphere in which wind, oxygen, and dust influence psychological landscapes.—
Lisa Deaderick,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
In Kharkiv, in Ukraine's northeast, emergency workers were combing the rubble, looking for survivors.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
8 Mar. 2026
-
Iran’s arsenal of ballistic missiles was seriously depleted and its strategic installations left in rubble.—
Robin Wright,
New Yorker,
8 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dross.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dross. Accessed 11 Mar. 2026.
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