sludge

noun

ˈsləj 

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

: slush sense 5

sludgy

ˈslə-jē 

adjective

Synonyms

• guck
• gook
• mire
• muck
• mud
• ooze
• slime
• slop
• slush

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

Earlier this year, the Missouri Legislature passed laws prohibiting the operation of three sludge lagoons in Newton, McDonald and Randolph counties. —Randal Seyler, arkansasonline.com, 19 Oct. 2024

Apart from album releases and tours, the rock supergroup Tomahawk and the NOLA sludge outfit Acid Bath are slated to be making reunions at Sick New World 2025. —Quentin Thane Singer, Forbes, 15 Oct. 2024

Louisiana sludge metal outfit Acid Bath is also reuniting at Sick New World for their first performance since 1997. —Spin Staff, SPIN, 15 Oct. 2024

Compared to traditional pumice stones, the compound—which includes waste from the marble industry—produces 90 percent less sludge, requires significantly less space and causes no damage compared to pumice stones. —Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 9 Sep. 2024

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

Kids Definition

sludge

noun

ˈsləj 

1

: mud, mire

2

: a muddy or slushy mass

especially : solid matter produced by water and sewage treatment processes

sludgy

ˈsləj-ē 

adjective

Medical Definition

sludge

1 of 2 noun

ˈsləj 

: 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