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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Example Sentences

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

Exhibiting a pile of hot, steaming garbage might have been more transgressive than showing these sculptures.

— Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 23 Sep. 2026
But to anyone who knew the actual facts, not reckless garbage spewed on the internet, the result of the process was never in doubt.

— Adam Sabes, FOXNews.com, 22 Sep. 2026

Definition of garbage

Noun

The sheriff’s office released photos of the black Honda CR-V deep inside the store with debris surrounding the vehicle.

— David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 17 Sep. 2026
The team looked through such coronagraph data for seven distant stars, each surrounded by debris disks where planet formation may be happening.

— Chelsea Gohd, Space.com, 17 Sep. 2026

Definition of debris

Noun

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
Only construction waste will be accepted at the landfill such as, brush and rubbish, concrete, brick, rock, wood, paper, plastics, cardboard and roofing shingles and tiles.

— Elizabeth Campbell, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 July 2026

Definition of rubbish

Noun

Though now joining the collections of major museums, in the 1970s his artworks depicting the hardship and life of Indigenous Bolivians were rescued from the trash outside his former Manhattan studio, according to multiple accounts.

— Devorah Lauter, ARTnews.com, 23 Sep. 2026
After the registration is confirmed, dispose of the toy in the trash.

— Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 23 Sep. 2026

Definition of trash

Noun

At the same time, SoftBank’s junk-bond offering, which will fund its investment in OpenAI, appears to have healthy demand.

— Rohan Goswami, semafor.com, 22 Sep. 2026
Build a Command Deck With the Control Center The Control Center was a welcome addition to iOS 7 in 2013, but its implementation still feels more like a junk drawer than a command center.

— Florence Ion, PC Magazine, 20 Sep. 2026

Definition of junk

Noun

These micro-drones usually crash in low-visibility crisis zones where dust, smoke, or pitch darkness blinds cameras.

— Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 18 Sep. 2026
Tristan, in the middle of putting down new wood shavings, looked at me shyly through the dust clouds.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 18 Sep. 2026

Definition of dust

Noun

The new stadium has a capacity of just over 60,000, about 12,000 less than the old facility which now lies in rubble across the street.

— CBS News, CBS News, 18 Sep. 2026
A number of people are thought to still be missing beneath the rubble, the health ministry said on Wednesday.

— Morgan Winsor, ABC News, 17 Sep. 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 24 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of dross

noun

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