toxic waste

noun

: unwanted chemicals that are the result of manufacturing or industry and that are poisonous to living things
The company was fined for dumping toxic waste into the river.
toxic waste dumps/sites
Toxic wastes were detected in the soil samples.

Examples of toxic waste 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.
Gowanus is hardly the only postindustrial New York neighborhood rife with toxic waste — in Williamsburg and Greenpoint, the extent of toxic contamination is still being uncovered and mitigated in an ad hoc fashion. — Kim Velsey, Curbed, 9 Oct. 2026 Members had fought off plans for toxic waste incinerators and power plants. — Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 8 Aug. 2026 In Naples, the mafia has buried toxic waste everywhere, creating crisis after scandal for years. — Literary Hub, 8 July 2026 The pilot study examining the potential human health effects of this toxic waste was conducted in 2023 and published in 2025. — CBS News, 12 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for toxic waste

Cite this Entry

“Toxic waste.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/toxic%20waste. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!