lots of refuse

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "lots of refuse" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when referring to a large quantity of waste or garbage. Example: "After the festival, there was lots of refuse left behind, making the cleanup a daunting task."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Specifically: we all produce lots of refuse, but how often are we uncertain about what can, or should, be recycled?

The New York Times - Magazine

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

Looking back on my political activism of the 1970s and 80s, there was a lot of refusing to accept existing conditions on the basis that they were "wrong and foolish".

The Guardian

So if lots of libraries refuse to sign up for Google's service because it is too costly, the company could be slapped with a lawsuit.Admittedly, such safeguards are not watertight and other antitrust concerns could surface over time in this brave new digital world.

The Economist

The trauma lingered for a while, and lots of parents refused to send their kids back to school.

Unicef

At low tide it was the exposed stumps of pilings and a lot of industrial refuse".

The New York Times - Arts

In this she's hardly alone: "A lot of writers refuse to deliver the goods," he said.

The New York Times - Books

I know that a lot of people refuse to accept the possibility of such things, and nothing will convince them that a monetary expansion can ever do real good.

The New York Times

He told Forbes: "If a lot of companies refuse to cooperate with Phorm, it makes Phorm data much less attractive, because there are large parts of the Internet they can't snoop on".

Forbes

And the quickest, cheapest and least invasive test is wildly inconclusive, so a lot of doctors refuse to use it.

Huffington Post

When people are forced to follow the rules, a lot of them refuse to budge or push back.

Huffington Post

"A lot of people refuse to take responsibility for their own shortcomings and prefer to put the blame on other people".

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using the phrase "lots of refuse", ensure the context clearly indicates what type of waste you are referring to. For more specific cases, consider substituting with more precise terms such as "industrial waste" or "household garbage".

Common error

While grammatically correct, "lots of refuse" might sound informal in certain professional or academic settings. Opt for more formal alternatives like "a significant amount of waste" or "substantial quantities of refuse" to maintain a polished tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "lots of refuse" functions primarily as a noun phrase, where "lots" acts as a determiner modifying the noun "refuse". It denotes a significant quantity of discarded or waste material. Ludwig indicates that it's a correct and usable phrase.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Formal & Business

18%

Wiki

12%

Less common in

Science

10%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The analysis indicates that the phrase "lots of refuse" is a grammatically sound but relatively uncommon way to describe a large quantity of waste. Ludwig confirms its correctness, while its usage is more prevalent in news and media contexts. When writing, remember that although the phrase is understandable, it might be more appropriate to use alternatives like "a lot of waste" or "plenty of garbage" to improve readability or in a formal document, opt for "substantial quantities of refuse" to maintain a polished tone.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a lot of garbage

Replaces "lots" with "a lot" and "refuse" with "garbage", both common synonyms for waste.

plenty of waste

Uses "plenty" to indicate a large quantity and "waste" as a general term for discarded materials.

a large amount of trash

Substitutes "lots" with "a large amount" for emphasis and uses "trash" as a common synonym.

an abundance of rubbish

Employs "abundance" to suggest a plentiful quantity and "rubbish" as a British English synonym for trash.

a great deal of refuse

Uses "a great deal" to convey a significant quantity, maintaining the original term "refuse".

tons of garbage

Employs "tons" as a hyperbole to emphasize the large quantity of garbage.

mountains of trash

Uses "mountains" as a hyperbole to emphasize the large quantity of trash.

a surplus of waste

Indicates that the amount of waste is more than needed or expected.

excessive refuse

Highlights that the amount of refuse is unusually or unacceptably large.

considerable waste

Emphasizes the substantial amount of waste.

FAQs

What does "lots of refuse" mean?

The phrase "lots of refuse" means a large quantity of waste or garbage. It is used to describe a situation where there is a significant amount of discarded material.

Is it more appropriate to say "lots of refuse" or "a lot of refuse"?

Both "lots of refuse" and "a lot of refuse" are grammatically correct and mean the same thing. "A lot of refuse" might be perceived as slightly more common in contemporary usage, but the difference is minimal.

What are some synonyms for "lots of refuse"?

Some synonyms for "lots of refuse" include "a lot of garbage", "plenty of waste", and "a large amount of trash".

How can I use "lots of refuse" in a sentence?

You can use "lots of refuse" in a sentence like this: "After the concert, there was "lots of refuse" left in the park."