dregs

23 synonyms and 1 antonym for dregs, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.

Noun — The gritty sediment that settles at the bottom of a drink, especially unfiltered wine or coffee.

Synonyms

Everyday swaps

Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.

grounds refuse

Less common

Still standard English, but they carry more weight.

debris deposit loser residue rubbish scum sediment settling trash

Rare, literary or technical

Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.

draff dross exuviate feculence grouts lees orts outcast rabble residuum riffraff trub

Synonyms by Meaning

1. noun

The gritty sediment that settles at the bottom of a drink, especially unfiltered wine or coffee.

“She tipped out the last of her coffee, dregs and all.”

debris deposit draff dross exuviate feculence grounds grouts lees loser orts outcast rabble refuse residue residuum riffraff rubbish scum sediment settling trash trub

2. noun

The most worthless or lowest part of something, especially people.

“He called the gang the dregs of society.”

Opposites

cream

How to use dregs

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

the dregs of society coffee dregs to the dregs

Etymology

From an old Scandinavian-derived word meaning sediment, related to the sludge left in a barrel of drink.

Full origin of dregs →

Frequently asked questions

What does “dregs” mean?

The word “dregs” means the gritty sediment that settles at the bottom of a drink, especially unfiltered wine or coffee. In plain terms, the leftover bits at the bottom of a drink, or (as an insult) the worst people in a group.

How do you pronounce “dregs”?

“Dregs” is pronounced drehgz (/dɹɛɡz/ in IPA).

How do you use “dregs” in a sentence?

Here is “dregs” used in a sentence: “She tipped out the last of her coffee, dregs and all.”

What is another word for “dregs”?

Words with a similar meaning to “dregs” include debris, deposit, draff, dross, exuviate and feculence.

What part of speech is “dregs”?

“Dregs” is a noun.

How many meanings does “dregs” have?

“Dregs” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the gritty sediment that settles at the bottom of a drink, especially unfiltered wine or coffee.

People also searched

cream grounds refuse trash deposit loser debris settling rubbish residue sediment scum

Nearby words

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