Sludge

/slʌd͡ʒ/ · noun

Meaning

Solids separated from suspension in a liquid..

Definitions by Sense

1. Solids separated from suspension in a liquid.
2. A residual semi-solid material left from industrial, water treatment, or wastewater treatment processes.
3. A sediment of accumulated minerals in a steam boiler.
4. A mass of small pieces of ice on the surface of a water body.
5. (uncountable, music) Ellipsis of sludge metal.
6. (behavioral science) Institutional policies that introduce tedium and inefficiency in processes.
7. (intransitive, informal) To slump or slouch.
8. (intransitive) To slop or drip slowly.

Example Sentences

Floods in northern India, mostly in the small state of Uttarakhand, have wrought disaster on an enormous scale.[…]Rock-filled torrents smashed vehicles and homes, burying victims under rubble and sludge.

In the 2008 best seller Nudge, the legal scholar Cass R. Sunstein and the economist Richard H. Thaler marshaled behavioral-science research to show how small tweaks could help us make better choices. An updated version of the book includes a section on what they called “sludge”—tortuous administrative demands, endless wait times, and excessive procedural fuss that impede us in our lives.

Synonyms for sludge

Antonyms for sludge

Related Words

Word Forms

• sludges
• slutch
• sludging
• sludged

Usage Notes

Choose a synonym only when it preserves the intended meaning, tone, and grammar of the full sentence.

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