mound of refuse

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "mound of refuse" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a large pile or accumulation of waste or garbage. Example: "The old factory was surrounded by a mound of refuse, making the area look abandoned and neglected."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Science & Research

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

She'd heard that a few of the houses were occupied, despite being without plumbing or electricity, and once, when she'd crossed the wasteland to peer through the fence, she'd seen a van parked outside one and a mound of refuse sacks outside another.

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

Windrows are long, low mounds of refuse.

Encyclopedia Britannica

As mounds of refuse go, this one was neither unusually tall nor unusually messy.

The New York Times

Pedestrians struggle to circumnavigate construction debris, torn-up pavement and mounds of refuse.

The New York Times

Standing in front of mounds of refuse and a temple-like ruin that looks like a back-lot relic, the Andromedan tells of a people who, much like a few of the wiser inhabitants of Krypton, looked to space as a refuge from a doomed planet.

The New York Times

The most curious finding, Kvamme says, is a series of earth-covered mounds of refuse alongside the ditches.

Science Magazine

Peering through the rubbish, we saw one lone sunbather stretched out in the sand, determined to soak up some rays despite the mounds of refuse piled up around her. Had she believed the myth of Bali too but was determined to ignore the reality?

Huffington Post

TARA BAI, a ragpicker in Mumbai who was named after an Indian queen, shakes her head angrily when asked if she is disgusted by her job: picking through mounds of rotting refuse for sellable plastic and metal.

The Economist

Driving a group of visitors along the dirt roads that snake up and down the mounds of buried refuse, Mr. Diggins plays tour guide to a place poised curiously between activity and dormancy.

The New York Times

Grabbing the plastic bags full of refuse and recyclable plastic, the crowd was able to form a mound directly below the window to cushion Mr. Castillo's fall.

The New York Times

They produced mounds of laundry, garbage and recycling.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing an area affected by significant pollution or neglect, use "mound of refuse" to vividly depict the presence of accumulated waste.

Common error

Avoid confusing "refuse" (noun, meaning garbage) with "refusal" (noun, meaning the act of rejecting). For example, use "a mound of refuse" to describe waste, not "a mound of refusal".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "mound of refuse" functions as a noun phrase, typically serving as the subject or object in a sentence. It describes a specific quantity of waste material accumulated into a heap. As Ludwig AI confirms, this is a grammatically sound phrase.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Encyclopedias

20%

Science & Research

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "mound of refuse" is a grammatically correct noun phrase used to describe a large pile of waste material. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness. While not exceedingly common, it appears in reputable sources like The New York Times and The Economist, and serves to vividly depict the presence of accumulated waste, particularly in contexts related to environmental issues or descriptions of neglected areas. While 'refuse' might be seen as slightly more formal, making it adaptable to diverse registers, alternatives such as "pile of garbage" and "heap of trash" offer similar meanings.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

pile of garbage

Focuses on the waste material, replacing 'refuse' with a more common synonym 'garbage'.

heap of trash

Uses 'heap' instead of 'mound', and 'trash' instead of 'refuse', both common synonyms.

accumulation of waste

Replaces the imagery of a 'mound' with a more general term 'accumulation', and 'refuse' with 'waste'.

collection of rubbish

Employs 'collection' to describe the gathering and 'rubbish' as a British English synonym for 'trash'.

mountain of garbage

Exaggerates the size of the pile, using 'mountain' for emphasis instead of 'mound'.

mass of debris

Shifts the focus to the scattered and broken nature of the waste, using 'debris'.

waste heap

Inverts the structure to 'waste heap', which is a recognized term for a refuse pile.

rubbish pile

Uses the synonym 'rubbish' and simplifies 'mound' to 'pile'.

garbage dump

Indicates a location designed for refuse, not just a pile, broadening the meaning.

trash heap

A common synonym using 'trash' instead of 'refuse' and 'heap' instead of 'mound'.

FAQs

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

You can use "mound of refuse" to describe a large pile of waste material. For example: "The abandoned lot had a large "mound of refuse" in the corner".

What can I say instead of "mound of refuse"?

You can use alternatives like "pile of garbage", "heap of trash", or "accumulation of waste" depending on the context.

Is "mound of refuse" formal or informal language?

"Mound of refuse" is relatively neutral language and can be used in both formal and informal contexts, although more common synonyms like "pile of trash" might be preferred in casual conversation.

What's the difference between "mound of refuse" and "landfill"?

"Mound of refuse" describes the pile itself, while "landfill" describes a designated area for waste disposal. You might find a "mound of refuse" within a landfill.