sludge

noun

1
: mud, mire
especially : a muddy deposit (as on a riverbed) : ooze
2
: a muddy or slushy mass, deposit, or sediment: such as
a
: precipitated solid matter produced by water and sewage treatment processes
b
: muddy sediment in a steam boiler
c
: a precipitate or settling (such as a mixture of impurities and acid) from a mineral oil
3
sludgy adjective

Examples of sludge in a Sentence

after a day of heavy rain, the fairgrounds had turned into pure sludge I can't bring myself to read that sludge.
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.
After the sludge is treated in Fort Worth, it is sent to farms in Johnson, Hill and Wise counties. Elizabeth Campbell, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 18 Mar. 2025 Haigh confessed to the murders after forensic investigators confirmed the sludge found in his workshop contained human remains, according to The History Press. Sean Neumann, People.com, 9 Mar. 2025 The permitting process has sparked fighting in the Charlotte region over the years between farmers who say the sludge is a cost-effective fertilizer and residents concerned about the potential health and environmental impacts. Mary Ramsey, Charlotte Observer, 19 Feb. 2025 In the absence of federal legislation, some states have introduced legislation to ban farmers from using sewage sludge on their fields. Jen Christensen, CNN, 14 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for sludge

Word History

Etymology

Middle English slugge, perhaps alteration of slicche mud, slush; akin to Old High German slīh mire

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of sludge was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Sludge.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sludge. Accessed 31 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

sludge

noun
1
: mud, mire
2
: a muddy or slushy mass
especially : solid matter produced by water and sewage treatment processes
sludgy adjective

Medical Definition

sludge

1 of 2 noun
: a semisolid precipitated mass or deposit
biliary sludge
especially : sludged blood

sludge

2 of 2 intransitive verb
sludged; sludging
: to form sludge
positions that cause blood to sludgeL. K. Altman

More from Merriam-Webster on sludge

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