dumpster diving

or Dumpster diving

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noun

the practice of foraging in garbage that has been put out on the street in dumpsters, garbage cans, etc., for discarded items that may still be valuable, useful, or fixable.

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Words nearby dumpster diving

dump on, dump orbit, dumps, dumpsite, dumpster, dumpster diving, dumpster fire, dump truck, dumpy, dumpy level, dum spiro, spero

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use dumpster diving in a sentence

In the course of her remarkable travels Thecla baptizes herself by diving into a pool of “man-eating seals.”
First Anglican Woman Bishop A Return to Christian Roots|Candida Moss|December 18, 2014|DAILY BEAST
We arrived to the din of a party in full swing: a band, multiple kegs of beer, dancing, foosball, and mantle diving.
I Was Gang Raped at a UVA Frat 30 Years Ago, and No One Did Anything|Liz Seccuro|December 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
And by mercilessly diving headfirst into these exploits, “Discord” discovers a universal truth: no human is human without flaws.
The Gospel According to Thomas Jefferson (And Tolstoy and Dickens)|Samuel Fragoso|October 26, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The video became a hit, and it led Boenish to pioneer a new type of diving—BASE.
The High-Flying Secrets of BASE Jumpers|William O’Connor|August 4, 2014|DAILY BEAST

The World High Diving Federation, established in 1996, is recognized by the Olympic Committee as the sport's governing body.
The World Series of Cliff Diving Takes Itself Very Seriously|Hampton Stevens|June 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Rosemary, shy but happy, began giving out the toys, diving with both hands at once into the baskets which the fairy father held.
Rosemary in Search of a Father|C. N. Williamson
Alila has still another way of fishing which is not as hard work as diving, though, after all, it is not much fun.
Alila, Our Little Philippine Cousin|Mary Hazelton Wade
But already the border men were turning out and diving behind logs and rocks even while the sleep still blurred their eyes.
A Virginia Scout|Hugh Pendexter
Her back was turned to Nita, her clawlike, skinny hands were diving into the chest of gold.
They Looked and Loved|Mrs. Alex McVeigh Miller
Then it sank till it pointed downward like a boy diving, and the stern was lifted up into the air.
Stories of Our Naval Heroes|Various

British Dictionary definitions for dumpster diving

dumpster diving

/ (ˈdʌmpstə) /

noun

US the practice of searching through dustbins for discarded but still usable or valuable objects such as food or clothes

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012