rubbish

[ruhb-ish]

noun

1. worthless, unwanted material that is rejected or thrown out; debris; litter; trash.

2. nonsense, as in writing or art.

   sentimental rubbish.

   Synonyms: bosh, drivel, balderdash, rot

rubbish

/ ˈrʌbɪʃ /

noun

1. worthless, useless, or unwanted matter

2. discarded or waste matter; refuse

3. foolish words or speech; nonsense

verb

1. informal,  (tr) to criticize; attack verbally

Word History and Origins

Origin of rubbish¹

1350–1400; Middle English rubbes, rob ( b ) ous < ?; rubble

Word History and Origins

Origin of rubbish¹

C14 robys , of uncertain origin

Idioms and Phrases

see good riddance (to bad rubbish).

Example Sentences

On Wednesday, Israelis demanding an immediate deal set fire to tyres and rubbish bins and damaged parked cars in Jerusalem.

From BBC

Although there is no evidence the river has been contaminated, experts were hired to find the best way to deal with the rubbish and protect the waterway.

From BBC

In an exclusive interview with the BBC, Reeves hit back at reports speculating over her plans, arguing that "a lot of them are talking rubbish".

From BBC

For him, the show offered a way to "cut through the rubbish of typical dating".

From BBC

A Canadian man dug through piles of rubbish at his local dump in a valiant, romantic - and ultimately successful - effort to find his wife's accidentally discarded wedding rings.

From BBC

Related Words

• debris 
• junk 
• lumber 
• rubble 
• trash 
• waste 

When To Use

What is rubbish?

Rubbish is unwanted material, such as something you throw into a waste barrel, like a banana peel.Rubbish is also something that is considered nonsense and not worth anything, like an idea or a piece of art.In Australia and New Zealand, rubbish can mean to criticize or verbally attack. It’s often used informally.Example: Make sure you clean up all this rubbish before you leave tonight.