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Synonyms

compactor

American  
[kuhm-pak-ter, kom-pak-] / kəmˈpæk tər, ˈkɒm pæk- /

noun

  1. an appliance that crushes and compresses trash into small convenient bundles.


Etymology

Origin of compactor

First recorded in 1945–50; compact 1 + -or 2

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.

Rita Cogay, who operates a compactor at the site, told AFP on Friday she had stepped outside to get a drink of water just moments before the building she had been in was crushed.

From Barron's • Jan. 10, 2026

Even a tiny robot — DG-33, sort of cutesy spin on a trash compactor — has developed some quirks, namely a sassy Southern accent.

From Los Angeles Times • May 8, 2025

In October, the company suspended dozens of workers at a New York warehouse after many of them staged a protest and refused to return to their shifts following a trash compactor fire.

From Seattle Times • Jan. 25, 2023

This is true of the black Chanel dress, the trash compactor, even an antique sword that is a keepsake from Nancy’s late husband.

From Washington Post • Apr. 6, 2022

He was afraid, he said, of the escalators in the Atlanta airport, which looked like the teeth of some giant trash compactor.

From "Outcasts United: An American Town, a Refugee Team, and One Woman's Quest to Make a Difference" by Warren St. John

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