Cool MateAll this crap was expensive vs Garbage vs Nonsense vs Rubbish
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
All this crap was expensive
InformalTop 3,000 (common)
Garbage
Top 2,000 (common)A2noun
Nonsense
Top 2,000 (common)C1noun
Rubbish
InformalTop 2,000 (common)A2noun
| All this crap was expensive | Garbage | Nonsense | Rubbish | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //ɔːl ðɪs kræp wəz ɪkˈspɛnsɪv//🇺🇸 //ɔl ðɪs kræp wəz ɪkˈspɛnsɪv// | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈɡɑːbɪdʒ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈɡɑːrbɪdʒ/"]/ | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈnɒnsns/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈnɑːnsens//ˈnɑːnsns/"]/ | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈrʌbɪʃ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈrʌbɪʃ/"]/ |
| Meaning | Everything here was very costly. | Waste material; things that are no longer useful. | Words or ideas that don't make sense. | Something that is worthless or of poor quality. |
| Example | All this crap was expensive, but it broke quickly. | Please take out the garbage before the truck arrives. | The statement he made was complete nonsense and had no basis in reality. | He threw the rubbish in the bin. |
| Register | Informal | Neutral | Neutral | Informal |
| How common | Top 3,000 (common) | Top 2,000 (common) | Top 2,000 (common) | Top 2,000 (common) |
| CEFR level | - | A2 | C1 | A2 |
| Part of speech | noun | noun | noun | |
| Collocations | costly crap, expensive junk, all this nonsense, pointless stuff, overpriced trash | household, kitchen, rotting, bag, pile, tons, take out, collect, remove, bag, can, truck, throw something in the garbage, household, kitchen, rotting, bag, pile, tons, take out, collect, remove, bag, can, truck, throw something in the garbage, absolute, complete, pure, garbage in, garbage out, a piece of garbage, a pile of garbage | absolute, arrant, complete, spout, talk, put up with, nonsense about, a load of nonsense, a lot of nonsense, make a nonsense of something, absolute, arrant, complete, spout, talk, put up with, nonsense about, a load of nonsense, a lot of nonsense, make a nonsense of something, absolute, arrant, complete, spout, talk, put up with, nonsense about, a load of nonsense, a lot of nonsense, make a nonsense of something | domestic, household, garden, bag, pile, tons, put out, collect, remove, decay, rot, bag, bin, skip, absolute, complete, total, talk, rubbish about, a load of rubbish, what rubbish!, absolute, complete, total, talk, rubbish about, a load of rubbish, what rubbish! |
| Antonyms | - | treasure, value | sense, reason, logic | treasure, valuable, quality |
| Common mistakes | Using 'crap' in formal writing., Confusing 'crap' with 'stuff' - 'crap' is more negative., Saying 'all these crap' instead of 'all this crap'. | Confused with 'rubbish' (common in British English) but both can be used in different regions., Using it to describe something worthless in a non-literal sense can sound informal., Mixing up 'garbage' with 'recycling'—not all waste is garbage. | 'Nonsensical' is sometimes confused with 'nonessential' (they mean different things)., Some learners forget to use 'nonsense' as a noun (e.g., saying 'that's nonsense' instead of 'that is nonsensical')., Confusing 'nonsense' with 'gibberish' (which refers to incomprehensible speech). | Using 'rubbish' in a formal context., Confusing 'rubbish' with 'trash', thinking they are interchangeable in all dialects., Using 'rubbish' only to refer to physical waste, rather than ideas or opinions. |
| Usage notes | Use 'crap' in casual conversations to express frustration or disappointment. Avoid in formal settings as it's a vulgar term. | Used in everyday conversation when discussing waste. Avoid in formal writing—consider using 'waste' or 'refuse' instead. | Use 'nonsense' to describe something silly or illogical. It's suitable for both casual and serious contexts, but can sound harsh if addressing someone's opinion directly. | Use 'rubbish' in everyday conversation when expressing dislike for something. It can sound casual or dismissive, so it may not be suitable for formal situations. |
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Frequently asked questions: All this crap was expensive vs Garbage vs Nonsense vs Rubbish
What's the difference between All this crap was expensive, Garbage, Nonsense, and Rubbish?
All this crap was expensive: Everything here was very costly. Garbage: Waste material; things that are no longer useful. Nonsense: Words or ideas that don't make sense. Rubbish: Something that is worthless or of poor quality.
Which is more advanced: All this crap was expensive, Garbage, Nonsense, and Rubbish?
Nonsense is the highest level, at C1, on the CEFR scale.
Can you show an example of each?
All this crap was expensive: All this crap was expensive, but it broke quickly. Garbage: Please take out the garbage before the truck arrives. Nonsense: The statement he made was complete nonsense and had no basis in reality. Rubbish: He threw the rubbish in the bin.
Can I use All this crap was expensive, Garbage, Nonsense, and Rubbish interchangeably?
Not always. All this crap was expensive, Garbage, Nonsense, and Rubbish are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.