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

He spent two years operating the dozer in the landfill, where treading uneven ground can be physically punishing work.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 19, 2026

What Vasquez and others are doing at the Marana landfill is likely a preview of the future of operating machinery in dusty and hazardous conditions.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 19, 2026

But Khalatian said many of them, including himself, didn’t suspect the stench was coming from the landfill.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 31, 2026

Thirty people died in Guinea's capital Conakry on Sunday when a mound of rubbish in a landfill collapsed before dawn onto neighbouring homes following heavy rains, the government said.

From Barron's ● Aug. 23, 2026

All of the trash was carted to the lake and dumped; not only was Chicago swept clean of the fire, but a large landfill was created in the process.

From "The Great Fire" by Jim Murphy

One estimate suggests that 11 million tons of REEs trapped in U.S. coal ash landfills is worth $8.4 billion -- nearly eight times the nation's current raw domestic reserves.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 19, 2026

The company said landfills, where operations are typically predictable and monotonous, are ideal for automated equipment.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 19, 2026

Other major sources include methane from livestock such as cattle, deforestation, industrial activity, and waste from sources including landfills.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 28, 2026

Major fires occurred at a number of landfills throughout 2023.

From BBC ● Jul. 8, 2026

She reminded him that parts of the city had been built on landfills containing arsenic, lead, mercury, barium, and other carcinogens.

From "Zeitoun" by Dave Eggers

Related Words

• depot
• junkyard