Cool MateAll this crap was expensive vs Rubbish
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
All this crap was expensive
InformalTop 3,000 (common)
Rubbish
InformalTop 2,000 (common)A2noun
Most common: Rubbish
| All this crap was expensive | Rubbish | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //ɔːl ðɪs kræp wəz ɪkˈspɛnsɪv//🇺🇸 //ɔl ðɪs kræp wəz ɪkˈspɛnsɪv// | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈrʌbɪʃ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈrʌbɪʃ/"]/ |
| Meaning | Everything here was very costly. | Something that is worthless or of poor quality. |
| Example | All this crap was expensive, but it broke quickly. | He threw the rubbish in the bin. |
| Register | Informal | Informal |
| How common | Top 3,000 (common) | Top 2,000 (common) |
| CEFR level | - | A2 |
| Part of speech | noun | |
| Collocations | costly crap, expensive junk, all this nonsense, pointless stuff, overpriced trash | 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, 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'. | 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. | 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. |
See it in real clips
Frequently asked questions: All this crap was expensive vs Rubbish
What's the difference between All this crap was expensive and Rubbish?
All this crap was expensive: Everything here was very costly. Rubbish: Something that is worthless or of poor quality.
Which is more common: All this crap was expensive and Rubbish?
Rubbish is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
All this crap was expensive: All this crap was expensive, but it broke quickly. Rubbish: He threw the rubbish in the bin.
Can I use All this crap was expensive and Rubbish interchangeably?
Not always. All this crap was expensive 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.