# cesspool

/ˈsɛsˌpuɫ/ (US) · /sˈɛspuːl/ (UK) · CEFR C2 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/cesspool
Updated: 2026-10-13

## Definition

a large hole in the ground for collecting waste water and sewage from a house. It is also used to describe a place that is very dirty or full of bad things.

For teachers: an underground pit for the collection and storage of liquid waste and sewage. Frequently used metaphorically to describe a place or situation that is morally corrupt or physically disgusting.

## Examples

- The old house had a hidden cesspool in the backyard.
- Before modern plumbing was installed, every home in the village relied on a private cesspool that required regular emptying.
- The investigative journalist described the city's political landscape as a cesspool of corruption, where every public contract was traded for personal favors.

## Synonyms

dump, pit, cesspit, sty

## Usage notes

- Often used in the figurative sense to describe social or moral decay.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.