Cool MateAll this crap was expensive vs Nonsense vs Rubbish vs Trash
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
All this crap was expensive
Nonsense
Rubbish
Trash
| All this crap was expensive | Nonsense | Rubbish | Trash | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //ɔːl ðɪs kræp wəz ɪkˈspɛnsɪv//🇺🇸 //ɔl ðɪs kræp wəz ɪkˈspɛnsɪv// | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈnɒnsns/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈnɑːnsens//ˈnɑːnsns/"]/ | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈrʌbɪʃ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈrʌbɪʃ/"]/ | 🇬🇧 /["/træʃ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/træʃ/"]/ |
| Meaning | Everything here was very costly. | Words or ideas that don't make sense. | Something that is worthless or of poor quality. | Items that are no longer wanted or useful. |
| Example | All this crap was expensive, but it broke quickly. | The statement he made was complete nonsense and had no basis in reality. | He threw the rubbish in the bin. | Don't forget to take out the trash. |
| Register | Informal | Neutral | Informal | Neutral |
| How common | Top 3,000 (common) | Top 2,000 (common) | Top 2,000 (common) | Top 1,000 (very common) |
| CEFR level | - | C1 | A2 | A2 |
| Part of speech | noun | noun | noun | |
| Collocations | costly crap, expensive junk, all this nonsense, pointless stuff, overpriced trash | 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! | dump, empty, throw away, bin, can, bag, gutter, street, trailer |
| Antonyms | - | sense, reason, logic | treasure, valuable, quality | treasure |
| Common mistakes | Using 'crap' in formal writing., Confusing 'crap' with 'stuff' - 'crap' is more negative., Saying 'all these crap' instead of 'all this crap'. | '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. | Confused with 'rubbish' in British English., Using 'trash' as a verb incorrectly; it’s only a noun in this context., Omitting the object, e.g., saying 'I need to trash' instead of 'I need to trash this.' |
| Usage notes | Use 'crap' in casual conversations to express frustration or disappointment. Avoid in formal settings as it's a vulgar term. | 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. | Used in everyday conversations about waste or things that are no longer useful. Not appropriate in formal writing. |
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Frequently asked questions: All this crap was expensive vs Nonsense vs Rubbish vs Trash
What's the difference between All this crap was expensive, Nonsense, Rubbish, and Trash?
All this crap was expensive: Everything here was very costly. Nonsense: Words or ideas that don't make sense. Rubbish: Something that is worthless or of poor quality. Trash: Items that are no longer wanted or useful.
Which is more common: All this crap was expensive, Nonsense, Rubbish, and Trash?
Trash is the most common in everyday English.
Which is more advanced: All this crap was expensive, Nonsense, Rubbish, and Trash?
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. Nonsense: The statement he made was complete nonsense and had no basis in reality. Rubbish: He threw the rubbish in the bin. Trash: Don't forget to take out the trash.
Can I use All this crap was expensive, Nonsense, Rubbish, and Trash interchangeably?
Not always. All this crap was expensive, Nonsense, Rubbish, and Trash 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.