dumpster

noun

dump·​ster ˈdəm(p)-stər How to pronounce dumpster (audio)
variants or less commonly Dumpster
: a large trash receptacle

Examples of dumpster in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The person advertising the dumpster collects money through a payment app and appears to be the provider. — Miami Herald, 22 Oct. 2026 At the road he was met by brown, sediment-laden floodwaters carrying vehicles and a dumpster. — Abe Streep, ProPublica, 21 Oct. 2026 The newborn was found dead near a dumpster outside a Fort Worth motel late Sunday night. — Erin Jones, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026 She was also captured on video taking a box of items, including an infant seat, to the dumpster on Sunday afternoon. — Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for dumpster

Word History

Etymology

dump entry 1 + -ster (originally in the trademarked name Dempster Dumpster, applied to mechanically loaded refuse containers produced by the Dempster Brothers Company of Knoxville, Tennessee)

First Known Use

1937, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of dumpster was in 1937

Phrases Containing dumpster

Browse Nearby Words

dump shot
dumpster
dumpster diving
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Dumpster.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dumpster. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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