trash
gb/tɹˈæʃ/ us/tɹˈæʃ/
A2
English
~ 8000
szemét, kidob, kukába dob, lehúz, ócsárol, tönkretesz, lelak, szétver, söpredék
NOUN
A2
1
szemét
A2
Usage pattern:
throw [something] in the trash
Please take out the trash before you go to bed.
Kérlek, vidd ki a szemetet, mielőtt lefekszel.
The park was covered in trash after the concert.
A koncert után a parkot szemét borította.
She threw the broken glass into the trash.
He forgot to put the trash on the curb for collection.
There’s a strange smell coming from the kitchen trash.
Learner examples
I put the old food in the trash.
A régi ételt a szemétbe dobtam.
The trash is full. Can you empty it?
Tele van a szemetes. Ki tudod üríteni?
We picked up trash on the beach.
There is a trash can next to the door.
Please do not drop trash on the street.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse "trash" with "litter." "Trash" is the waste itself, especially in containers, while "litter" is trash that has been thrown on the ground in a public place. In British English, "rubbish" is more common than "trash."
Meaning
waste material to be thrown away
Collocations
take out the trash
|throw it in the trash
|overflowing trash
|pick up the trash
|sort the trash
|trash can
Synonyms
garbage (Very close in meaning, especially in American English; used in similar situations.)
Antonyms
recycling (Refers to waste that is processed and reused instead of being thrown away.)
Themes
daily life
|home
|environment
|daily_life
|housing
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Things you do not want and throw away, like old food, paper, or broken items.
Unwanted waste material, especially household or office items, that are thrown away.
VERB
B1
2
kidob
A2
kukába dob
A2
Usage pattern:
to trash [something]
I accidentally trashed the email and had to ask her to resend it.
Véletlenül a kukába dobtam az e-mailt, ezért meg kellett kérnem, hogy küldje el újra.
You can trash those receipts; we don’t need them anymore.
Kidobhatod azokat a nyugtákat; már nincs rájuk szükségünk.
He trashed all the old paperwork during the office cleanup.
Don’t trash that box yet—I might use it for storage.
She quickly trashed the photo from her phone.
Learner examples
I trashed the broken chair.
Kidobtam a törött széket.
You can trash this paper; it is not important.
Kidobhatod ezt a papírt; nem fontos.
He trashed the message by mistake.
Please do not trash my notes.
She trashed many old photos on her computer.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse verb "trash" with noun "trash." As a verb, it is usually followed by an object ("trash the files"), while as a noun it is often used with prepositions ("in the trash," "take out the trash"). In computer contexts, "trash" can also be the name of the folder where deleted files are stored.
Meaning
to throw something away
Collocations
trash the old files
|trash the email
|accidentally trashed
|trash the document
|trash the idea
|trash the draft
Synonyms
discard (More formal and slightly more careful-sounding; often used in written or technical instructions.)
Antonyms
keep (Means to continue to have something instead of throwing it away.)
Themes
daily life
|technology
|work
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To throw something away because you do not want it anymore.
To get rid of something by throwing it away as waste, often into a trash container or digital trash folder.
NOUN
B2
INFORMAL
3
szemét
B1
Usage pattern:
[something] is trash
Most critics agreed that the sequel was pure trash.
A legtöbb kritikus szerint a folytatás színtiszta szemét volt.
He thinks all pop music is trash, but I completely disagree.
Szerinte az összes popzene szemét, de én egyáltalán nem értek egyet.
The app looked good, but the user experience was trash.
She called the article trash and refused to share it.
Honestly, that plan is trash—we need a better one.
Learner examples
The movie was trash, and we left early.
A film egy rakás szemét volt, ezért korán eljöttünk.
He said my idea was trash, and I felt bad.
Azt mondta, hogy az ötletem szemét, és ez rosszul esett.
Some people think this show is trash, but I like it.
The sound on this cheap phone is trash.
That website is trash and full of lies.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes try to use "trash" in formal writing with this meaning. This sense is informal and often sounds rude or very negative. In neutral or formal contexts, it is better to say "very poor quality," "terrible," or "awful."
Meaning
something very bad or worthless
Collocations
complete trash
|absolute trash
|hot trash
|call it trash
|low-quality trash
|consider it trash
Synonyms
garbage (Used figuratively in the same way ("That movie was garbage"), with similar informal tone.)
Antonyms
masterpiece (Highlights the contrast with something considered extremely good or of the highest quality.)
Themes
opinions
|media
|emotions
|communication
|arts_entertainment
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Something that is very bad or has almost no value, especially a movie, book, song, or idea.
Something regarded as very low in quality, value, or worth, often used to describe entertainment, ideas, or work.
VERB
B2
INFORMAL
4
Usage pattern:
trash [someone/something]
The reviews completely trashed the new restaurant.
A kritikák teljesen lehúzták az új éttermet.
He went on social media to trash his former boss.
A közösségi médiában kezdte ócsárolni a volt főnökét.
Commenters trashed the singer for her live performance.
She’s tired of being trashed in the press.
Why do you always trash my ideas instead of helping me improve them?
Learner examples
The critics trashed the movie.
A kritikusok lehúzták a filmet.
He trashed his coworker in front of everyone.
Mindenki előtt ócsárolta a munkatársát.
People online trashed her new song.
Please don’t trash my work; tell me how to fix it.
They trashed the plan without giving a reason.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse this with the more basic verb meaning "to throw away." In this sense, "trash" always involves words or opinions, not physically putting something in the garbage. You trash a person’s idea, reputation, or performance, not their physical body or objects.
Meaning
to criticize very harshly
Collocations
trash his reputation
|trash her performance
|trash the idea
|critics trashed the film
|trash someone online
|trash the proposal
Synonyms
slam (Similar informal tone; often used in news writing about strong criticism.)
Antonyms
praise (Means to say good things about someone or something, the opposite of harsh criticism.)
Themes
communication
|emotions
|media
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To say very bad things about someone or something, often in a strong or mean way.
To criticize someone or something very strongly and often unfairly, especially in public.
VERB
B2
INFORMAL
5
Usage pattern:
trash [a place/thing]
The party guests completely trashed the apartment.
A buli vendégei teljesen lelakták a lakást.
The vandals trashed several cars on the street last night.
A vandálok tegnap éjjel több autót is szétvertek az utcán.
His luggage was trashed during the flight.
The hotel room was trashed, and they were charged for the damage.
The storm trashed the small beach bar.
Learner examples
They trashed the room after the party.
A buli után teljesen lelakták a szobát.
The car was trashed in the accident.
Az autó teljesen összetört a balesetben.
The boys trashed the old shed for fun.
Our campsite was trashed by the wind.
Someone trashed the office while we were away.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this with simply throwing something away. When you "trash" a place in this sense, you damage it or make it very dirty, not put it in the garbage. Context such as "room," "car," or "house" usually shows this meaning.
Meaning
to badly damage or wreck something
Collocations
trash the place
|totally trashed
|trash the hotel room
|car was trashed
|house was trashed
|room got trashed
Synonyms
vandalize (More formal and often used for deliberate damage to public or private property.)
Antonyms
repair (Means to fix or restore something instead of damaging it.)
Themes
crime
|home
|emotions
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To break, damage, or mess up something very badly.
To damage something badly, or to make a place very messy and almost destroyed, often through careless or violent behavior.
NOUN
C1
VULGAR
6
Usage pattern:
call [someone] trash
He cruelly called his neighbors trash because they were poor.
Kegyetlenül söpredéknek nevezte a szomszédait, mert szegények voltak.
Some people still use the phrase "white trash," which is highly offensive.
Vannak, akik még ma is használják a „white trash” („fehér söpredék”) kifejezést, ami rendkívül sértő.
She felt like the rich guests treated her like trash.
That word is hurtful; don’t call people trash.
The article criticized the show for portraying its characters as trash.
Learner examples
He called them trash, and they were very angry.
Söpredéknek nevezte őket, és nagyon dühösek lettek.
Please do not call anyone trash; it is rude.
Kérlek, ne nevezz senkit szemétnek; ez durva.
She says she is not trash just because she is poor.
The phrase "white trash" is very offensive.
They felt like society saw them as trash.
Common mistake:
Learners may not realize how offensive this use of "trash" is, especially in expressions like "white trash." It should be avoided in polite conversation and formal writing except when you are clearly talking about the word itself or reporting someone else’s language.
Meaning
insult for people seen as low
Collocations
call someone trash
|treat someone like trash
|white trash
|considered trash
|act like trash
Synonyms
scum (Also a very strong insult for people seen as morally disgusting or worthless.)
Antonyms
upstanding citizen (Emphasizes respectability and good moral behavior, the opposite of what "trash" suggests here.)
Themes
insults
|society
|emotions
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A very rude word for people someone thinks are very low and bad.
An insulting term for a person or group regarded as socially inferior, uneducated, or morally bad.
Grammar
Dictionary form
trash
IPA
GB/tɹˈæʃ/
US/tɹˈæʃ/
Syllables & stress
trash (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (trash)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: trash
- Plural: trash
Verb
- Base: trash
- 3rd Person Singular: trashes
- Present Participle: trashing
- Past: trashed
Word family
Forms
trashes
verb
trashing
verb
trashed
verb
Related words
trashy
adjective
Expressions
piece of trash
1/pˈis əv tɹˈæʃ/
idiom
informal
insult for a worthless person or thing
A very rude way to say a person or thing is worthless.
Examples
- She called him a piece of trash after what he did.
- This cheap toy is a piece of trash; it broke in one day.
- Don’t talk to yourself like you’re a piece of trash.
take out the trash
1/tˈeɪk ˈaʊt ðə tɹˈæʃ/
fixed phrase
remove household trash for pickup
To carry the bag or container of trash from inside your home to the outside place where it will be collected.
Examples
- I have to take out the trash before the garbage truck comes.
- She asked her kids to take out the trash after dinner.
- Don’t forget to take out the trash on Sunday night.
talk trash
1/tˈɔk tɹˈæʃ/
idiom
informal
to insult or boast about others
To say rude or insulting things about another person, often in a game, sport, or argument.
Examples
- The players like to talk trash before the game starts.
- He talks trash online but is quiet in real life.
- She told him to stop talking trash about her friends.
trash bag
1/tɹˈæʃ bˈæɡ/
fixed phrase
plastic bag for trash
A big plastic bag that you put trash in.
Examples
- We need to buy more trash bags for the kitchen.
- He tied up the full trash bag and carried it outside.
- The trash bag ripped and garbage fell on the floor.
trash bin
1/tɹˈæʃ bˈɪn/
fixed phrase
bin or container for trash
A bin or box where trash is kept, sometimes also the place on a computer where deleted files go.
Examples
- Please put the paper in the trash bin under the desk.
- I found the file in the computer’s trash bin and restored it.
- Every desk in the office has a small trash bin.
trash can
1/tɹˈæʃ kən/
fixed phrase
container for holding trash
A container where you put trash.
Examples
- There’s a trash can next to the door.
- He threw the wrapper in the nearest trash can.
- The office needs more trash cans by the desks.
trash talk
1/tɹˈæʃ tˈɔk/
idiom
informal
insulting speech toward opponents
Rude or insulting words said to an opponent, especially in sports or games.
Examples
- There was a lot of trash talk during the basketball game.
- Her trash talk made the other team angry.
- He’s famous for his trash talk, but he can usually back it up.
trash TV
1/tɹˈæʃ tˈi vˈi/
idiom
informal
very low-quality television shows
TV shows that many people think are very bad or low quality, but some people still enjoy.
Examples
- We stayed in and watched trash TV all weekend.
- He says he only watches trash TV to relax.
- Some critics dismiss reality shows as trash TV.
white trash
1/wˈaɪt tɹˈæʃ/
idiom
vulgar
offensive insult for poor white people
A very offensive phrase for poor white people, saying they are low and bad.
Examples
- The term "white trash" is considered very offensive and classist.
- Some TV shows are criticized for their stereotypes of so-called white trash.
- You should never call someone "white trash"; it is a hateful expression.