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
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
Mitch, along with several family members, fought the flood all night, vacuuming up the sludge and emptying buckets out the window.
—
Nick Bowlin, ProPublica, 18 May 2026
Lake Erie froze solid that year, but Dwight said the toxic sludge at the bottom of the river and the sheen of oil across the top would keep the Cuyahoga from freezing.
—Literary Hub, 15 May 2026
These products contain natural enzymes that help prevent stains, and the build up of mineral deposits, sludge, and organic contamination.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 12 May 2026
In February, the Johnson County commissioners issued a disaster declaration after PFAS chemicals were discovered in soil, water and animal tissue samples collected from agricultural land on which fertilizer made from sewage sludge was used.
—Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for sludge
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Nick Bowlin, ProPublica, 18 May 2026
Lake Erie froze solid that year, but Dwight said the toxic sludge at the bottom of the river and the sheen of oil across the top would keep the Cuyahoga from freezing.
—Literary Hub, 15 May 2026
These products contain natural enzymes that help prevent stains, and the build up of mineral deposits, sludge, and organic contamination.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 12 May 2026
In February, the Johnson County commissioners issued a disaster declaration after PFAS chemicals were discovered in soil, water and animal tissue samples collected from agricultural land on which fertilizer made from sewage sludge was used.
—Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for sludge
Cite this Entry
“Sludge.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sludge. Accessed 24 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
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 sludge—L. K. Altman
L. K. AltmanLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
