rubbish

noun

ˈrə-bish How to pronounce rubbish (audio)
Definition of rubbishnext
1
as in garbage
discarded or useless material it's illegal to throw rubbish out of your car on the highway

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in junk
that which is of low quality or worth regarded most romance novels as the lowest form of literary rubbish

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3
as in nonsense
language, behavior, or ideas that are absurd and contrary to good sense you're obviously no economist because what you're saying is absolute rubbish

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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 rubbish So where does the rubbish come from? — Jasmin Malik Chua, Footwear News, 8 June 2026 With no petrol to run dustbin trucks, rubbish is being burnt in the streets. — The Week Uk, TheWeek, 31 May 2026 Historically, this ash is dumped in piles, mixed in cement, or simply thrown away as industrial rubbish. — Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 24 May 2026 From the Japanese point of view, leaving rubbish piled up in a stadium would be a bother to others. — Stephen Wade, Chicago Tribune, 30 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for rubbish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rubbish
  1. garbage
  2. junk
  3. nonsense
  4. debris
  5. cheese
  6. nuts
  7. trash
  8. blah
Noun
  • The growing garbage fire has warped a landfill hillside, which could potentially trigger and avalanche of garbage and leachate.
    — Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 29 Oct. 2026
  • In the third, Brock Boeser and Jamie Oleksiak scored what seemed like garbage-time goals.
    — Thomas Drance, New York Times, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of garbage
Noun
  • In-store events also offer shoppers the chance to gather and make something by hand—from personalized ornaments to holiday junk journals.
    — Michele Laufik, Martha Stewart, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Such small pieces of junk are also impossible to track and therefore avoid.
    — Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of junk
Noun
  • Halo 4, 5, and Infinite used sci-fi nonsense to transform him into this larger-than-life figure, rendering the rest of the UNSC largely powerless in the process.
    — Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 23 Oct. 2026
  • These accusations are utter nonsense, concocted from distortions, half-truths and lies.
    — Kathleen Parker, Washington Post, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of nonsense
Noun
  • Avon Street remains closed from Merriman to Niagara Street as crews clear the roadway of debris.
    — Elle Meyers, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026
  • However, throwing it back over the fence could create another dispute, particularly if doing so amounts to dumping debris on your neighbor’s property.
    — Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of debris
Noun
  • Employee did not wash hands or change gloves before handling shredded cheese.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Take the lid off, then add 1 3/4 cups cheese and stir to combine.
    — Candy Hom, AJC.com, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of cheese
Noun
  • Healthy ingredients like nuts and fresh fruit are often just a garnish or topping.
    — Anahad O’Connor, Washington Post, 22 Oct. 2026
  • My sweet potato casserole recipe swaps the nuts for crispy, sweet-and-salty cornflakes—the marshmallows can stay.
    — Zoe Denenberg, Bon Appetit Magazine, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of nuts
Noun
  • The danger can begin when a battery is placed in a trash or recycling bin, Klein said.
    — Harllie Stevenson, Idaho Statesman, 28 Oct. 2026
  • The rats tear open trash bags and seem to resist mitigation efforts, including poison, peppermint spray and even freezing trash until collection day.
    — Joe Brandt, CBS News, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of trash
Noun
  • Trying to make Netflix into YouTube or Spotify continues to strike me as… blah.
    — Josef Adalian, Vulture, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Sure, the Strip is thriving and there are football games to attend and Metallica is in town, blah, blah, blah.
    — Joe Kinsey OutKick, FOXNews.com, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of blah

Browse Nearby Words

rubbing the wrong way
rubbish
rubbishy
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Cite this Entry

“Rubbish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rubbish. Accessed 30 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on rubbish

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about rubbish

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