landfill

American  

[land-fil] / ˈlændˌfɪl /

noun

• landfills
  plural

1. a low area of land that is built up from deposits of solid refuse in layers covered by soil.

2. the solid refuse itself.

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verb (used without object)

1. to create more usable land by this means.

verb (used with object)

1. to make (an area of land) by means of a landfill.

2. to use in a landfill.

   to landfill millions of tons of garbage each year.

landfill British  

/ ˈlændˌfɪl /

noun

1. 1. disposal of waste material by burying it under layers of earth

   2. ( as modifier )

      landfill sites

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landfill Scientific  

/ lănd′fĭl′ /

1. A disposal site where solid waste, such as paper, glass, and metal, is buried between layers of dirt and other materials in such a way as to reduce contamination of the surrounding land. Modern landfills are often lined with layers of absorbent material and sheets of plastic to keep pollutants from leaking into the soil and water.

2. Also called sanitary landfill

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• landfills
  plural

Etymology

Origin of landfill

An Americanism dating back to 1940–45; land + fill

Explanation

A landfill is a pit that is covered with dirt after being filled with waste of some kind. Some landfills are filled in with rocks for the specific purpose of raising the earth and building something on it. Garbage dumps are often called landfills, even when they're not literal pits that are filled and covered, and while "hole full of trash" might be your first thought when you hear the word, landfills are often simply a way of solidifying the ground for building. Many port cities, including Boston and Portland, Maine, have entire neighborhoods, once just areas covered in water, that were built on landfills.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

landfill landfills

Bonus: Giving away unwanted stuff directly to neighbors made me feel better than sending it to a landfill.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 11, 2026

But the chemicals take a long time to break down and have lingered in the environment, particularly in landfill, where they can leach into waterways and then into the sea.

From BBC ● Aug. 10, 2026

More than 30 people have been detained overall in connection with fires allegedly caused either deliberately or by negligence, including the mayor of the tourist island of Paros over a landfill fire last week.

From Barron's ● Aug. 4, 2026

Ultimately it’s better for the environment if clothes get a new life through a preloved section, rather than piling up in a landfill.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 3, 2026

His cubicle was a landfill of printouts, charts, and reference books.

From "The Martian" by Andy Weir

And California recently enacted a law requiring retailers to manage how clothing waste is disposed of, in a bid to keep clothes from further bloating landfills.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 3, 2026

The county is also taking steps to expand access to landfills beyond normal operating hours to allow Lineage to remove noxious debris around the clock.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 31, 2026

About 79% is sent to landfills, while another 12% is burned, a practice that releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 31, 2026

Without waste reduction at the source, ongoing sorting, and organic waste processing that can prevent methane gas from forming, there will always be the risk of environmental disasters occurring at landfills, he said.

From BBC ● Jul. 8, 2026

Lou Volpe’s classroom, far from the main entrance, is furnished with old couches and living room chairs, donated stuff that otherwise might have gone to Goodwill or landfills.

From "Drama High" by Michael Sokolove

Related Words

• depot
• junkyard