Word
garbage
US/ˈɡɑɹbɪdʒ/
UK/ɡˈɑːbɪdʒ/
Definitions
01waste material
A2 · Elementary Uncountable noun American English
n. things that you throw away because you do not want them anymore.
n. waste material, refuse, or litter, especially food waste and household items.
“Don't forget to take the garbage out to the bin before you leave.”
“The city council implemented a new system to separate organic garbage from recyclable plastics to reduce the volume of landfill waste.”
Usage
Uncountable noun; does not have a plural form in this sense.
02nonsense
B1 · Intermediate Uncountable noun Informal
n. something that is not true or is very stupid.
n. worthless or nonsensical ideas, talk, or creative work.
“I don't believe a word of that story; it's complete garbage.”
“The critic dismissed the latest blockbuster as pure garbage, citing its predictable plot and wooden acting.”
03unused memory
C1 · Advanced Uncountable noun Computing Technical
n. data in a computer's memory that is no longer needed but still takes up space.
n. allocated memory that is no longer reachable by the program but has not yet been reclaimed.
“The program slowed down because it didn't clear the garbage from its memory.”
“The language features an automatic garbage collector that identifies and deallocates objects no longer in use by the application.”
Usage
Often used in the phrase 'garbage collection'.
Synonyms
04very bad
B2 · Upper Intermediate Informal · Slang
adj. of very poor quality; not good at all.
adj. extremely poor in quality or performance; used as a predicative adjective.
“The weather was garbage all weekend, so we stayed inside.”
“I tried to watch that new series, but the writing was so garbage I couldn't finish the first episode.”
Etymology
From late Middle English garbage (“the offal of a fowl, giblets, kitchen waste”, originally “refuse, what is purged away”), from Anglo-Norman, from Old French garber (“to refine, make neat or clean”), of Germanic origin, from Frankish *garwijan (“to make ready”). Akin to Old High German garawan (“to prepare, make ready”), Old English ġearwian (“to make ready, adorn”). More at garb, yare, gear
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Idioms
01. hot garbage
Domains
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.A2 KeyIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.3.0–4.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 2.0–2.524–43TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.225–549
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- A2 · Elementary
- Updated
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