Thesaurus results for SLUDGE

sludge

noun

ˈsləj

Definition of sludge

as in mud

soft wet earth after a day of heavy rain, the fairgrounds had turned into pure sludge

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

as in corn

something (as a work of literature or music) that is too sentimental I can't bring myself to read that sludge

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 sludge Parkdale said Ciclo has been tested using ASTM and ISO methods in seawater, soil, wastewater sludge and biologically active landfill conditions. — Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 2 Oct. 2026 The questions of who and why are a mystery for the season to solve, but old adversaries like Frank Harkness and Peter Judd have emerged from the sludge around now, too, and there’s an overwhelming sense now of chickens coming home to roost. — Scott Tobias, Vulture, 23 Sep. 2026 The United States is losing to one of its worst enemies in a war that has left the American economy mired in the sludge of growing inflation and rising energy prices. — Tom Nichols, The Atlantic, 20 Sep. 2026 Crazy picked the bowl up and chugged down the salty, yellow sludge. — Literary Hub, 9 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for sludge

Recent Examples of Synonyms for sludge

Noun

The former taxi driver had been arrested three years earlier after police unearthed a mass grave in a forest ‌near the Indian Ocean town of Malindi, where his followers had been living in mud huts.

— Latoya Gayle, PEOPLE, 20 Oct. 2026
In 2023, more than 400 bodies were exhumed from shallow graves on the 800-acre Chakama Ranch in coastal Kilifi County, where Mackenzie’s followers lived in mud huts, away from the scrutiny of local communities and authorities.

— Evelyne Musambi, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of mud

Noun

Only indiscriminate, promiscuous lovers of candy, any candy, could conceivably stomach a pound or two of candy corn before dinner, as Jerry Cohen and I can without heavy breathing.

— Jeffrey Steingarten, Vogue, 25 Oct. 2026
Interestingly, the charcoal mellowing process is different for the rye—instead of the usual 10 feet of charcoal, it is filtered through just three feet due to small amount of corn in the mashbill, according to master distiller Chris Fletcher.

— Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 25 Oct. 2026

Definition of corn

Browse Nearby Words

slow-witted

sludge

sludgy

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Sludge.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sludge. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of sludge

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

milieu

Popular in Grammar & Usage

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE

Popular

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes