dumpster

American  

[duhmp-ster] / ˈdʌmp stər /

Or Dumpster

noun

1. a large metal or plastic bin for refuse designed to be hoisted onto a specially equipped truck for emptying or hauling away.

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Etymology

Origin of dumpster

First recorded in 1935–40; dump ( def. ) + -ster ( def. ), originally part of the jingle “Dempster Dumpster, ” a trademark for a large trash container manufactured by the Dempster Brothers Company in Knoxville, Tennessee

Example Sentences

And so-called artificial intelligence, of course, is adding napalm to this dumpster fire.

From Salon • Mar. 25, 2026

In Darnold’s case, that fire was the dumpster blaze known as the New York Jets.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 3, 2026

They have to be tilted into a dumpster that is moved into position, but Alexander makes the comic most of these clumsier stage mechanics.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 3, 2026

But they haven’t been as forgiving with respect to AI, and tinkering around the fringes of a division that was already headed for the dumpster isn’t likely to change that.

From Barron's • Dec. 4, 2025

They silently changed out the cat food in front of Building L, then meandered toward the dumpster to get rid of the empty cans.

From "The First State of Being" by Erin Entrada Kelly