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Synonyms

landfill

American  
[land-fil] / ˈlændˌfɪl /

noun

  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.

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

    2. ( as modifier )

      landfill sites
"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
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

Etymology

Origin of landfill

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

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.

In 1982, Agnes Denes planted 2 acres of wheat seed into a thin layer of topsoil she’d spread over lower Manhattan’s Battery Park landfill.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 15, 2026

"Most biodegradable nappies still end up in landfill because industrial composting facilities are limited or unavailable in many regions," says Jagadev.

From BBC • Mar. 12, 2026

When they aren’t thieving, bald eagles also scavenge from roadkill or help themselves to free food found in human garbage or at the town landfill.

From Slate • Feb. 21, 2026

The Seattle-based waste service is geared toward people who worry their waste will end up in the landfill, or get exported to a developing country in Asia.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 21, 2026

The courtyard had been constructed over a landfill, and in order to start my garden, I had to excavate a great many rocks to allow the plants room to grow.

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela

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.