dumpster

noun

dump·​ster ˈdəm(p)-stər How to pronounce dumpster (audio)
variants or less commonly Dumpster
: a large trash receptacle

Examples of dumpster in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
By the time detectives began their investigation, the contents of the dumpster had been hauled off by a garbage truck, Hernandez wrote in his report. — David Goodhue august 21, Miami Herald, 21 Aug. 2026 There have been multiple reports of a female bear and cubs rummaging in dumpsters, the agency said. — Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 19 Aug. 2026 Back then, the LAPD more than once tossed us into dumpsters or shoved us around. — Courtney Love, Rolling Stone, 19 Aug. 2026 Deputies responded to a call about possible human remains found in a dumpster at the complex, officials told The Times in 2022. — Terry Castleman, Los Angeles Times, 17 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for dumpster

Word History

Etymology

dump entry 1 + -ster (originally in the trademarked name Dempster Dumpster, applied to mechanically loaded refuse containers produced by the Dempster Brothers Company of Knoxville, Tennessee)

First Known Use

1937, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of dumpster was in 1937

Phrases Containing dumpster

Browse Nearby Words

dump shot
dumpster
dumpster diving
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Dumpster.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dumpster. Accessed 26 Aug. 2026.

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