garbage

noun

ˈgär-bij How to pronounce garbage (audio)
Definition of garbagenext
1
as in trash
discarded or useless material the stray dogs were looking for leftover food in the family's garbage

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in nonsense
language, behavior, or ideas that are absurd and contrary to good sense she was just talking garbage when she said that she was taking a loss on the sale of the house

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 garbage There were firearms in the house and plastic garbage bags, bleach, Lysol, and wet tools in a trailer outside. — Nikki Battiste, CBS News, 9 Aug. 2026 In several municipalities, particularly in Havana, residents staged neighborhood protests after blackouts lasting more than 48 hours, banging pots and pans and burning garbage piled up on street corners. — Andrea Rodriguez, Fortune, 7 Aug. 2026 Trash problems aren’t always as simple as taking the garbage to the curb. — Tiffani Jackson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Aug. 2026 But to Count Binface, a man with a towering garbage bin on his head. — Mark Rice-Oxley, Christian Science Monitor, 7 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for garbage
Recent Examples of Synonyms for garbage
  1. trash
  2. nonsense
  3. debris
  4. rubbish
  5. junk
  6. nuts
  7. dust
  8. blah
Noun
  • Experts encourage people living in bear-prone areas to lock doors, keep trash and other food sources stored in bear-proof containers and avoid putting out bird feeders.
    — John Moritz, Hartford Courant, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Remove any unsecured trash, food and strongly-scented items including sunscreen, deodorant and Chapstick from your vehicles and yard.
    — David Caraccio, Sacbee.com, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of trash
Noun
  • Nonmaterialism was the sort of wishful nonsense preached by those who weren’t in any real danger of going hungry.
    — Madhuri Vijay, New Yorker, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Personally, this idea that the woke nonsense is just an outmoded relic of the past is ridiculous.
    — Chris Roemer, Baltimore Sun, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of nonsense
Noun
  • Rojas has witnessed two people being pulled alive from the debris, as well as the recovery of bodies.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Photos of the outside cemetery show flooding and floating debris.
    — Dave Savini, CBS News, 13 Aug. 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
  • This emerging capability could prove crucial not only for extending the longevity of one-of-a-kind missions but also for mitigating the growing threat of space junk from derelict spacecraft abandoned in Earth orbits.
    — Tom Metcalfe, Scientific American, 18 Aug. 2026
  • If the piece isn’t in good working condition, arrange a pick-up from a junk removal service or drop the item off at a recycling center or scrap yard.
    — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of junk
Noun
  • Eating plenty of nutrient-rich foods like nuts, berries, fish and leafy greens can lower inflammation.
    — Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Again, that doesn’t really bother me because super-heavy energy recuperation drives me nuts, but there’s no practical reason the vehicle simply can’t retain that choice.
    — Adam Ismail, The Drive, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of nuts
Noun
  • And in a bedroom, tucked behind the door and covered in dust, hung a nondescript print in a black and brown frame.
    — Cole Reynolds, Washington Post, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Videos posted to social media showed buildings collapsing and panicked residents running and screaming, as dust filled the sky.
    — Lex Harvey, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of dust
Noun
  • That’s where all the problems come from—the shrinkage, the color, blah, blah, blah.
    — Angela Velasquez, Footwear News, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Frankly, most ballet flats are a bit too blah for this look and would throw off the proportions.
    — Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 23 July 2026
Definition of blah

Browse Nearby Words

garb
garbage
garbed
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Cite this Entry

“Garbage.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/garbage. Accessed 20 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on garbage

Nglish: Translation of garbage for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about garbage

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