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
Prior to Trump’s ascension, conspiracy-laden messages were largely confined to the seedy cesspools of the web like 4chan and Infowars, where fringe hosts such as Alex Jones ranted to marginalized audiences.
—
Oliver Darcy, CNN, 1 Feb. 2024
The next year, the state passed a law requiring that all cesspools be converted and closed by the year 2050.
—Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 21 July 2023
See all Example Sentences for cesspool 
Oliver Darcy, CNN, 1 Feb. 2024
The next year, the state passed a law requiring that all cesspools be converted and closed by the year 2050.
—Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 21 July 2023
See all Example Sentences for cesspool
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cesspool.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Cesspool.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cesspool. Accessed 29 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
cesspool
noun
cess·pool
ˈses-ˌpül 
: an underground pit or tank for liquid waste (as household sewage)
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