Crap
noun / adjective / exclamation /kræp/ — Excrement; something of very poor quality; an exclamation
Definition
Excrement; by extension, something of very poor quality, a lie, or worthless matter. Also used as an exclamation of frustration. 'Crap' is the all-purpose dismissal — the word that says this thing fails at its basic function.
Beyond the definition
Crap is refreshingly democratic — it applies equally to poor art, bad arguments, and physical waste. The word requires no further qualification. It is the verdict without the reasoning.
Origin & history
Middle English: crappe (chaff, residue from grain processing). Originally agricultural — the useless material separated from useful grain. Applied to bodily waste later; applied to anything useless or false later still.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
That's a load of crap and you know it.
The film was crap, but the acting saved it.
She saw through the crap immediately and said so.
How to use it
Follow this entry’s examples for grammatical form and sentence placement.
Choose “Crap” when the meaning fits your context: Excrement; by extension, something of very poor quality, a lie, or worthless matter. Also used as an exclamation of frustration. 'Crap' is the all-purpose dismissal — the word that says this thing fails at its basic function.
Synonyms
nonsense, rubbish, poor quality
Antonyms
excellent, truthful, worthwhile
Related words
Crap vs shit
Crap is a milder, socially acceptable term for excrement or poor quality. Shit is significantly more offensive and should be avoided in professional or polite company.
Compare this word
Word in the Wild
See how this word appears in life, language and stories.
Illustrative sentences and imagined stories for learning — not verified sightings, interviews, or sourced quotations.
Fictional scene
Degrading Objects in Nature
A chair is being reclaimed by forest vines and mushrooms.
The decay of the chair into something worthless and discarded reflects the dismissal behind the word 'crap'. It describes the state where an object fails to fulfill its purpose, returning to the earth as valueless matter.
Image credit: Wordspun · AI-generated conceptual illustration
Questions about this word
What does "Crap" mean?
Crap is noun / adjective / exclamation meaning: Excrement; something of very poor quality; an exclamation. Excrement; by extension, something of very poor quality, a lie, or worthless matter. Also used as an exclamation of frustration. 'Crap' is the all-purpose dismissal — the word that says this thing fails at its basic function.
Where does the word "Crap" come from?
Middle English: crappe (chaff, residue from grain processing). Originally agricultural — the useless material separated from useful grain. Applied to bodily waste later; applied to anything useless or false later still.