rubbish

noun

rub·​bish ˈrə-bish How to pronounce rubbish (audio)
 dialectal  -bij
1
: useless waste or rejected matter : trash
2
: something that is worthless or nonsensical
few real masterpieces are forgotten and not much rubbish survivesWilliam Bridges-Adams
rubbishy adjective

Examples of rubbish in a Sentence

Please, pick the rubbish up off the ground. I think what he says is absolute rubbish! “I'm sorry, but I had to do it.” “Rubbish!” The food at that restaurant is complete rubbish.
Recent Examples on the Web Well, maybe the new, grainy car picture will put all this rubbish to bed. Elizabeth Logan, Glamour, 4 Mar. 2024 For the trash bin’s thousands of admirers, Disney’s decision to tinker with it was rubbish. Robbie Whelan, WSJ, 4 Jan. 2024 These notes cannot be thrown away like ordinary rubbish. The Physics Arxiv Blog, Discover Magazine, 23 Jan. 2024 The woman was found on Redwood Street near 44th Street standing near an active rubbish fire, Pechin said. Karen Kucher, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Jan. 2024 Advertisement For waste haulers and recycling plant managers across the state, this tidal wave of rubbish brings its own peculiar risks and challenges. Hayley Smith, Los Angeles Times, 31 Dec. 2023 A number of male elephants are attracted to this location not only by the rubbish but also by nearby crops. Cecilia Rodriguez, Forbes, 28 Nov. 2023 The scent of Blue Razz Lemonade replaces traffic fumes; Banana Ice covers the rancid smell of rubbish. WIRED, 19 Nov. 2023 The contract covers removal of garbage, rubbish, recyclables and one large item, such as a sofa or television, per week. Kimberly Fornek, Chicago Tribune, 15 Sep. 2023

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

Word History

Etymology

Middle English robous

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of rubbish was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near rubbish

Cite this Entry

“Rubbish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rubbish. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

rubbish

noun
rub·​bish ˈrəb-ish How to pronounce rubbish (audio)
: useless waste or stuff that has been thrown away : trash
rubbishy adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on rubbish

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