1
: an underground reservoir for liquid waste (such as household sewage)
2
: a filthy, evil, or corrupt place or state
a cesspool of corruption
Examples of cesspool in a Sentence
The region had become a cesspool of pollution.
over the decades the once-respectable neighborhood had become an urban cesspool
Recent Examples on the Web
These are important questions, but are ultimately merely nibbling around the edges of the main problem, which is that Rikers Island has for decades now been a cesspool of unconstitutional conduct and rampant violence that has shocked even longtime criminal justice observers like Martin.
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New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 13 July 2025
Jumping into even the prettiest and clearest rivers, lakes, creeks, and other natural bodies of water can expose you to a cesspool of unpleasant and invisible fellow swimmers—most commonly bacteria, viruses, and parasites.
—Angela Haupt, Time, 23 May 2025
That’s close enough to a cesspool — and Tony was right in wanting no part of it.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 10 June 2025
The internet is a cesspool that just wants to fight.
—Paul Bedard, The Washington Examiner, 14 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cesspool
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New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 13 July 2025
Jumping into even the prettiest and clearest rivers, lakes, creeks, and other natural bodies of water can expose you to a cesspool of unpleasant and invisible fellow swimmers—most commonly bacteria, viruses, and parasites.
—Angela Haupt, Time, 23 May 2025
That’s close enough to a cesspool — and Tony was right in wanting no part of it.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 10 June 2025
The internet is a cesspool that just wants to fight.
—Paul Bedard, The Washington Examiner, 14 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cesspool
Cite this Entry
“Cesspool.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cesspool. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
cesspool
noun
cess·pool
ˈses-ˌpül 
: an underground pit or tank for liquid waste (as household sewage)
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