landfill

noun

land·​fill ˈlan(d)-ˌfil How to pronounce landfill (audio)
Synonyms of landfillnext
1
: an area built up by landfill
2
: a system of trash and garbage disposal in which the waste is buried between layers of earth to build up low-lying land

called also sanitary landfill

landfill transitive verb

Synonyms of landfill

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Examples of landfill in a Sentence

using landfill to dispose of trash Part of the city was built on landfill.
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.
The kids will love Mount Trashmore Park, a former landfill that now includes two lakes, a playground, and a skate park. — Beth Luberecki, USA Today, 11 Aug. 2026 Food waste decomposing in landfills emits methane, a potent greenhouse gas that warms the planet. — ABC News, 10 Aug. 2026 The food waste is sprayed with bleach, deodorizer and water before it’s covered and hauled to a landfill in Riverside County, east of Los Angeles. — Celina Tebor, CNN Money, 8 Aug. 2026 The company estimates the tablets have kept millions of tubes out of landfill. — Anne Makovec, CBS News, 7 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for landfill

Word History

First Known Use

1903, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of landfill was in 1903

Phrases Containing landfill

Rhymes for landfill

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Browse Nearby Words

landfast
landfill
landflood
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Landfill.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/landfill. Accessed 15 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

landfill

noun
land·​fill -ˌfil How to pronounce landfill (audio)
1
: a system of trash and garbage disposal in which the waste is buried between layers of earth
2
: an area built up by landfill

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