Word
landfill
Phoneticsland·fill, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈɫændˌfɪɫ/
UK/lˈændfɪl/
Definitions
01disposal site
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun
n. a large hole or area of land where a city's rubbish is buried under layers of earth.
n. a site for the disposal of waste materials by burial under layers of soil.
“The city is running out of space in its local landfill for all the plastic waste.”
“Environmental engineers are monitoring the landfill for methane emissions and potential groundwater contamination from decomposing organic matter.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
02waste material
C1 · Advanced Uncountable noun Technical
n. the actual rubbish that is sent to be buried.
n. waste material that is destined for or has been disposed of in a burial site. Uncountable in this sense.
“We need to reduce the amount of landfill we produce every year.”
“The new government policy aims to divert at least sixty percent of household landfill into composting and recycling streams.”
03to bury waste
C1 · Advanced Technical
v. to get rid of rubbish by burying it in a large hole in the ground.
v. to dispose of waste by burying it in a landfill site. Transitive — takes a direct object.
“It is much cheaper to landfill waste than to process it for recycling.”
“The municipality decided to landfill the non-hazardous industrial byproducts rather than investing in a costly high-temperature incineration facility.”
Antonyms
Real-World Examples
“A plastic fork used for five minutes could last more than 500 years in a landfill.” “About 79% is sent to landfills, while another 12% is burned, a practice that releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.” Etymology
From land + fill. Compare spillway.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- 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.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL 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: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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