litterbug

noun

lit·​ter·​bug ˈli-tər-ˌbəg How to pronounce litterbug (audio)
: one who litters a public area

Examples of litterbug in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Of all disposals, 17 percent were improper, and 4 percent of people qualified as litterbugs. Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi, Discover Magazine, 8 Apr. 2023 Some historians argue the concept of the litterbug was meant to deflect responsibility for environmental harm away from the corporation and onto the consumer. Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi, Discover Magazine, 8 Apr. 2023 China is not the only orbital litterbug. Christine McDaniel, Forbes, 18 May 2021 At least the lord wasn’t a litterbug. Steve Meyer, Anchorage Daily News, 27 June 2020 If the litterbug isn’t caught in the act, taxpayers fund the garbage pickup. Christine McDaniel, Forbes, 18 May 2021 As Trump’s tweets last month continue to reverberate in Baltimore, some residents say the negative attention overlooks persistent and ongoing efforts to beautify blocks and deter litterbugs. Scott Dance, baltimoresun.com, 15 Aug. 2019 However, a white German woman who did nothing to stop the litterbug was helped about as often (73.3%) as the Muslim woman who went out of her way to do some social good. Los Angeles Times, 7 Aug. 2019 In about half the cases, the woman would ask the litterbug to clean up; in others, that request came from another female member of the team. Los Angeles Times, 7 Aug. 2019

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'litterbug.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1946, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of litterbug was in 1946

Dictionary Entries Near litterbug

Cite this Entry

“Litterbug.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/litterbug. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

litterbug

noun
lit·​ter·​bug ˈlit-ər-ˌbəg How to pronounce litterbug (audio)
: a person who litters a public area
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