Cool MateRubbish vs What a crock of shit
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Rubbish
InformalTop 2,000 (common)A2noun
What a crock of shit
VulgarBeyond 10,000 (less common)
Most formal: RubbishMost common: Rubbish
| Rubbish | What a crock of shit | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈrʌbɪʃ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈrʌbɪʃ/"]/ | 🇬🇧 //ˈwɒt ə krɒk əv ʃɪt//🇺🇸 //ˈwɑt ə krɑk əv ʃɪt// |
| Meaning | Something that is worthless or of poor quality. | A phrase used to say something is nonsense or untrue. |
| Example | He threw the rubbish in the bin. | When I heard his excuse, I thought, 'What a crock of shit!' |
| Register | Informal | Vulgar |
| How common | Top 2,000 (common) | Beyond 10,000 (less common) |
| CEFR level | A2 | - |
| Part of speech | noun | |
| Collocations | 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! | what a load of crap, pure nonsense, complete rubbish, utter bullshit |
| Antonyms | treasure, valuable, quality | - |
| Common mistakes | 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. | Using it in formal writing., Confusing it with 'what a load of rubbish'., Not understanding it is considered vulgar. |
| Usage notes | 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. | This phrase is informal and often used to express disbelief or disdain in casual conversations. It's not suitable for formal settings. |
See it in real clips
Frequently asked questions: Rubbish vs What a crock of shit
What's the difference between Rubbish and What a crock of shit?
Rubbish: Something that is worthless or of poor quality. What a crock of shit: A phrase used to say something is nonsense or untrue.
Which is more formal: Rubbish and What a crock of shit?
Rubbish is the most formal of these.
Which is more common: Rubbish and What a crock of shit?
Rubbish is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
Rubbish: He threw the rubbish in the bin. What a crock of shit: When I heard his excuse, I thought, 'What a crock of shit!'
Can I use Rubbish and What a crock of shit interchangeably?
Not always. Rubbish and What a crock of shit 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.