Vocapedia
Log inTry for Free

Looking up...

Explore

  • Words of the Year
  • Recent Lookups
  • Community Collections
  • How to Say

Dictionaries

  • English
  • Vietnamese
  • Japanese
  • Chinese
  • Spanish
  • French
  • Korean
  • German
  • Hindi
  • Italian

MY LEARNING

  • My Dictionary
  • My Collections
  • Reviews

Resources

  • Learning Resources
  • How It Works
  • Study Guides
  • Language Tips
  • FAQ
  • Getting Started
  • For Individuals
  • For Teachers

Community

  • Forum
  • Blog
  • Help Center
  • Partnerships

About

  • About Vocapedia
  • Contact Us
  • Feedback

Legal

  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Accessibility
  • GDPR Compliance
© 2026 Vocapedia. All rights reserved.

dump

/dʌmp/
💡 to discard or abandon carelessly

“He dumped his old clothes in the trash.”

“He carelessly discarded his old clothes in the trash.”


informal

to get rid of something unwanted or unnecessary

She dumped her toxic relationship.

She ended her toxic relationship abruptly.

The company dumped the outdated software.

The company discarded the outdated software.

💡

Often implies a sudden or careless action.

formal

to unload or empty (e.g., a container or vehicle)

The truck dumped its cargo at the warehouse.

The truck unloaded its cargo at the warehouse.

💡

Common in logistics and transportation.

informal

a place where waste or garbage is left

The abandoned lot became a dump for illegal trash.

The abandoned lot became a place where illegal trash was discarded.

💡

Can also refer to a messy or unpleasant place.

💻Technology
technical

in computing, to transfer data from memory to a storage device

The system dumps the data to the hard drive.

The system transfers the data from memory to the hard drive.

💡

Common in programming and IT contexts.

Collocations

dump something on someoneto burden someone with unwanted responsibility or informationtake a dumpto defecate (informal)data dumpa large transfer of data, often in computing

Synonyms

discardabandonjettisontrashunload

Antonyms

keepretainsavepreserve

Related Phrases

dumpster firephrase
a chaotic or disastrous situation
memory dumpphrase
a file containing the contents of a computer's memory

💡Pro Tip

Avoid confusion with 'dump' in computing

In programming, 'dump' often refers to transferring data from memory to storage. Context helps distinguish between general and technical uses.

⚡Gold Rule

Use 'dump' for sudden or careless discarding

The word 'dump' implies a lack of care or thoughtfulness in discarding something. Avoid using it for planned or deliberate disposal.

📖Word Origin

From Middle English *dumpen* (to fall suddenly), likely of imitative origin, related to the sound of something heavy falling.

📝Usage Notes

The verb 'dump' is informal when used to mean 'discard' or 'abandon.' In computing, it is a technical term. The noun 'dump' can refer to a messy place or a data transfer operation.

English Dictionary

Learning Progress

Track your learning journey!

• Save words to build your vocabulary

• Monitor your daily streak

• Get personalized review reminders

• See words learned statistics

Log in to access advanced features and track your progress!

Go to Dashboard →

Words of the Year

The most notable words that defined each year. Discover the vocabulary that shaped our world.