garbage

garbage — noun

1. things such as food, paper, and plastic that people no longer want and usually p

1.nounA2
Definition

things such as food, paper, and plastic that people no longer want and usually put into a bin to be taken away

Example

Adaeze put the vegetable peels and other kitchen garbage into the compost bin.

kitchen garbage: typical compound noun for household waste

Every Tuesday morning, the city collects household garbage from the green bins.

household garbage collocation; passive collection pattern

Common collocations
  • kitchen garbage
  • household garbage
  • garbage truck
  • garbage bin
  • garbage bag
  • garbage collection
  • take out the garbage
  • a pile of garbage
Synonyms
  • waste

    broader term; includes industrial and non-household materials

  • trash

    common US synonym; often refers specifically to dry waste like paper and packaging

  • rubbish

    British English equivalent for general household waste

  • refuse

    formal term for household waste; used in official contexts and waste management

Antonyms
  • treasure

    something valuable kept or stored, opposite of discarded material

  • valuables

    items considered worth keeping, not thrown away

Usage Note

Primarily used in American English for all household waste. In British English, 'rubbish' is the more general term, and 'garbage' often refers only to food waste from a kitchen.

Common Mistakes

I took out the garbages.
I took out the garbage.
Garbage is uncountable in this sense, so it has no plural form.
Please throw it to garbage.
Please throw it in the garbage.
Use 'in' or 'into' when referring to a bin, not 'to.'

2. ideas, words, or information that are completely wrong, silly, or not worth cons

2.nounB1
Definition

ideas, words, or information that are completely wrong, silly, or not worth considering

Example

Sayaka told her brother that his plan to build a rocket was garbage.

metaphor: an idea or plan is garbage (= worthless)

The article about miracle cures was full of garbage and false promises.

full of garbage: common dismissive phrase

Common collocations
  • talk garbage
  • pure garbage
  • complete garbage
  • absolute garbage
  • full of garbage
  • a load of garbage
Synonyms
  • nonsense

    the neutral, less informal equivalent; suitable in most contexts

  • rubbish

    British English informal equivalent for false ideas

  • trash

    American English informal equivalent for worthless talk

  • drivel

    stronger disapproval; implies the speaker is being very stupid

Antonyms
  • truth

    facts or ideas that are correct and reliable

  • sense

    reasonable and logical thinking

  • wisdom

    knowledge gained from experience that is worth paying attention to

Usage Note

Strongly informal and used mainly in spoken contexts. More forceful than 'nonsense' and less offensive than stronger slang alternatives. Avoid using in formal academic or professional writing.

Common Mistakes

That is a garbage.
That is garbage.
You cannot use the indefinite article 'a' before uncountable 'garbage.'

3. a container, usually a bin or can, used for collecting waste that will later be

3.nounB1
Definition

a container, usually a bin or can, used for collecting waste that will later be taken away

Example

Hoa threw the empty bottle into the garbage by the back door.

into the garbage: metonymy — 'garbage' means 'garbage bin'

The kitchen garbage was full, so Camila tied the bag and carried it outside.

Common collocations
  • metal garbage
  • plastic garbage
  • kitchen garbage
  • kick over the garbage
  • empty the garbage
  • the garbage is full
Synonyms
  • bin

    short common term for waste bin; used in both US and UK

  • trash can

    American English term specifically for a waste container

  • dustbin

    British English term for a bin for household waste

Usage Note

Common in everyday American speech. 'The garbage' in this sense refers to the container itself ('Throw it in the garbage' means 'Throw it in the garbage can'). This is a case of metonymy, where the word for the contents comes to stand for the container.

Common Mistakes

I threw the envelope into garbage can.
I threw the envelope into the garbage can.
When 'garbage' means the container, it takes a determiner and is usually followed by 'can,' 'bin,' or left implicit in context.
Could you empty the garbages?
Could you empty the garbage?' or 'Could you empty the garbage cans?
When 'garbage' means the container, it is still usually singular.
Idioms

garbage in, garbage out

idiom

used to express that if you put incorrect or low-quality information into a computer system, you will get incorrect or low-quality results out

The data entry was full of mistakes, and the report was useless. It is a clear case of garbage in, garbage out.

Nikos told his students that if they gave the software bad numbers, the predictions would be worthless — garbage in, garbage out.

Word family

  • garbage disposal
    nounB2
  • garbageman
    nounB2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All five words describe unwanted material, but they differ by region, formality, and scope. 'Garbage' is the standard American term for household waste, especially from kitchens. 'Trash' is also American but more often refers to dry discards such as paper, packaging, and empty bottles, while 'garbage' suggests organic or food waste. 'Rubbish' is the everyday British equivalent for all household waste. 'Refuse' (pronounced REF-yoos) is formal and used in official contexts like waste management and municipal planning. 'Waste' is the broadest term, covering everything from household scraps to industrial by-products. For a learner: use 'garbage' or 'trash' in the United States, 'rubbish' in the United Kingdom, 'refuse' in official documents, and 'waste' when you need a general or formal term.

garbage ↗trash ↗rubbish ↗refuse ↗waste ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • garbage bag
  • garbage bin
  • garbage can
  • garbage truck
  • garbage collector
  • garbage disposal

Phrases

  • a pile of garbage
  • a load of garbage
  • full of garbage

Prepositions

  • in the garbage
  • into the garbage
  • out of the garbage

Etymology

Anglo-FrenchOld FrenchEnglish

Garbage entered English in the late Middle Ages from Anglo-French 'garbage,' meaning kitchen waste or the parts of an animal not used as food. The word may be connected to Old French 'garber,' meaning to make neat or refine — the idea being that garbage was what was left behind after refining. By the 16th century, it referred broadly to any discarded household waste. The figurative sense of 'nonsense' developed in American English around the early 1900s, and the computing metaphor 'garbage in, garbage out' dates from the 1960s.