Meaning & use
dregs
Last updated
The small, unwanted particles of a liquid that sink to the bottom; by extension, the most worthless part of something.
See it in a sentence
She poured out the coffee, leaving the bitter dregs in the cup.
The film portrays the dregs of society scraping by in a crumbling city.
A note on using this word
Almost always used in the plural; the figurative sense ('the dregs of society') is common and can sound harsh or contemptuous.
Words with a similar meaning
sedimentresidue
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “dregs”, then compare your use with the examples above.
Your draft stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.