rubbish

Things you no longer want or need and throw away.

• Put the rubbish in the bin.
• They collect our rubbish on Mondays.
• We picked up rubbish along the beach.

Similar words: trash, garbage, waste

Common phrases: rubbish bin, rubbish collection, throw away rubbish, household rubbish

Ideas or statements that are silly, wrong, or impossible to believe.

• That story is rubbish.
• He talks rubbish about things he does not understand.
• The claim that cats cannot learn is complete rubbish.

Similar words: nonsense

Common phrases: talk rubbish, complete rubbish, a load of rubbish

Things that are badly made or have very little value.

• This shop sells rubbish.
• The toys I bought were cheap rubbish.
• Why waste money on that rubbish?

Similar words: junk, trash

Common phrases: cheap rubbish, sell rubbish, a load of rubbish

Very bad in quality, ability, or experience.

• The film was rubbish.
• I am rubbish at tennis.
• We had a rubbish day because everything went wrong.

How to use it: rubbish at something (He is rubbish at remembering names.)

Similar words: awful, terrible, bad

Opposites: great, excellent

Common phrases: a rubbish day, rubbish at something, rubbish service

Used to say strongly that you think something is silly or untrue.

• Rubbish! That never happened.
• “You cheated.” “Rubbish! I followed every rule.”
• “Nobody likes your cooking.” “Rubbish! Everyone asked for more.”

Similar words: nonsense, balderdash

Common phrases: absolute rubbish, utter rubbish, total rubbish

To say that an idea, plan, or piece of work is bad or stupid.

• Please do not rubbish my idea.
• The minister rubbished the report yesterday.
• Critics have rubbished her latest film.

Similar words: dismiss, criticize

Common phrases: rubbish an idea, rubbish a proposal, rubbish someone’s work