cesspool

noun

cess·​pool ˈses-ˌpül 

1

: an underground reservoir for liquid waste (such as household sewage)

2

: a filthy, evil, or corrupt place or state

a cesspool of corruption

Synonyms

• Augean stable
• Gomorrah
• sink

Examples of cesspool in a Sentence

The region had become a cesspool of pollution.

over the decades the once-respectable neighborhood had become an urban cesspool

Recent Examples on the Web

At least these are at least attempting some kind of even-handed moderation, unlike the platform formerly known as Twitter, which has become the cesspool of X under Elon Musk’s ownership. —New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 9 Dec. 2024

Maybe the judge presiding will have the courage and intellect to break up this cesspool of crime. —Jason Fields, Newsweek, 5 Dec. 2024

Drafting players involves a cesspool of uncertainty, overconfidence and unpredictability. —Alec Lewis, The Athletic, 29 Aug. 2024

Advertisement Over the years, residents have seen the ecosystem change into an unrecognizable landscape — once clear ponds stocked with fish are now gray cesspools filled with white foam that is visible even in Google’s satellite images. —Jireh Deng, Los Angeles Times, 26 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

perhaps by folk etymology from Middle English suspiral vent, tap on a main pipe, settling pool, from Anglo-French suspirale vent, from suspirer to sigh, exhale, from Latin suspirare, literally, to draw a long breath — more at suspire

First Known Use

1783, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

cesspool

noun

cess·​pool ˈses-ˌpül 

: an underground pit or tank for liquid waste (as household sewage)