rubbish
Americannoun
-
worthless, unwanted material that is rejected or thrown out; debris; litter; trash.
-
nonsense, as in writing or art.
sentimental rubbish.
- Synonyms:
- bosh, drivel, balderdash, rot
noun
-
worthless, useless, or unwanted matter
-
discarded or waste matter; refuse
-
foolish words or speech; nonsense
verb
Usage
What is rubbish? Rubbish is unwanted material, such as something you throw into a waste barrel, like a banana peel. Rubbish is also something that is considered nonsense and not worth anything, like an idea or a piece of art. In Australia and New Zealand, rubbish can mean to criticize or verbally attack. It’s often used informally. Example: Make sure you clean up all this rubbish before you leave tonight.
Etymology
Origin of rubbish
1350–1400; Middle English rubbes, rob ( b ) ous < ?; cf. rubble
Explanation
Rubbish is a synonym for garbage or trash. The word is more commonly used by speakers of British English than by speakers of American English. The noun rubbish also means writing or speech that is worthless, untrue, or nonsense, especially in British English. Your teacher might tell you that your paper thesis is a load of rubbish if it states that Winston Churchill and Franklin Roosevelt were aliens sent from another planet to "fix" World War II. In British slang, rubbish is also a verb that means to criticize strongly. Don't be surprised when the professor rubbishes your paper — he's a well-known Churchill scholar.
Vocabulary lists containing rubbish
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
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Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
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50 Great Words from The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, by Mark Haddon
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Fiji's environment ministry on Thursday rejected a plan by an Australian billionaire to burn rubbish for energy in the South Pacific nation, after a backlash from traditional landowners and tourism operators.
From Barron's • Jun. 4, 2026
Disposable vapes were banned a year ago, partly because of the issues they cause for bin lorries and waste facilities when thrown away with general rubbish.
From BBC • Jun. 1, 2026
Lord Mandelson replied: "As the saying goes, rubbish in rubbish out…"
From BBC • Jun. 1, 2026
This week's heatwave has left "horrific" mounds of rubbish at some of Wales' most popular beaches, while traffic was brought to a standstill at beauty spots.
From BBC • May 29, 2026
I turned, my eyes following his path as he kicked rubbish and rocks out of his way.
From "The Darkest Minds" by Alexandra Bracken
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
