junk 1 of 2

noun

ˈjəŋk How to pronounce junk (audio)
Definition of junknext
1
as in cheese
that which is of low quality or worth couldn't believe that such junk was chosen to be read for the book club my car is junk—it spends more time in the shop than on the road

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in garbage
discarded or useless material junk on the side of the road waiting for the trash collection

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

junk

2 of 2

verb

as in to dump
to get rid of as useless or unwanted we'll have to junk this old car

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word junk different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of junk are cast, discard, scrap, shed, and slough. While all these words mean "to get rid of," scrap and junk imply throwing away or breaking up as worthless in existent form.

scrap all the old ways
would junk our educational system

When is it sensible to use cast instead of junk?

The meanings of cast and junk largely overlap; however, cast, especially when used with off, away, or out, implies a forceful rejection or repudiation.

cast off her friends

Where would discard be a reasonable alternative to junk?

Although the words discard and junk have much in common, discard implies the letting go or throwing away of something that has become useless or superfluous though often not intrinsically valueless.

discard old clothes

How do shed and slough relate to one another, in the sense of junk?

Shed and slough imply a throwing off of something both useless and encumbering and often suggest a consequent renewal of vitality or luster.

shed a bad habit
finally sloughed off the depression

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of junk
Noun
Then there are others with more junk drawers than regular ones and small collections of stuff that have accumulated over time. —Allie Volpe, Vox, 26 Mar. 2025 But a funny thing happened on the way to the cinematic junk heap. —Chris Lee, Vulture, 20 Mar. 2025
Verb
The ratings agency Fitch restored Delta’s investment-grade credit rating this July after cutting it to junk during the early years of the COVID-19 pandemic. —Melvin Backman, Quartz, 18 Nov. 2024 Downgrades to junk from two of Boeing’s three major credit graders would leave much of its $52 billion of outstanding long-term debt ineligible for inclusion in investment-grade indexes. —Caleb Mutua, Fortune, 10 Oct. 2024 See All Example Sentences for junk
Recent Examples of Synonyms for junk
  1. cheese
  2. garbage
  3. dump
  4. rubbish
  5. debris
  6. discard
  7. trash
  8. dust
Noun
  • Herbal Corsican rosés are perfect with soft goat cheeses and the ricotta-like local cheese, brocciu.
    — Sophie Friedman, AFAR Media, 3 Apr. 2025
  • Local prices for butter and cheddar cheese also decreased month to month, The Bee found.
    — Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 3 Apr. 2025
Definition of cheese
Noun
  • Mountains of garbage are said to be visible from space and people have complained of seeing rats as big as cats in the refuse.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 8 Apr. 2025
  • But also, increasingly, in marine food chains and immense garbage patches in the oceans.
    — Nina Agrawal, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2025
Definition of garbage
Verb
  • The plan is/was to dump most of the high-leverage load on Romano, Matt Strahm, José Alvarado and Orion Kerkering.
    — Anthony Stitt, Forbes.com, 8 Apr. 2025
  • Global investors have been fretting over the effects of President Donald Trump’s tariffs on the global economy, leading them to dump equities.
    — Lisa Kailai Han, CNBC, 7 Apr. 2025
Definition of dump
Noun
  • The site was first excavated beginning in 1995, and in 2018, scientists began collecting, analyzing and radiocarbon dating fossils unearthed from El Gigante rubbish piles.
    — GrrlScientist, Forbes, 13 Mar. 2025
  • Last year, a dumpster diver in Hudson, New York, stumbled upon an extraordinary find: An 18th-century pen-and-ink sketch by English portraitist George Romney was hidden amid the rubbish.
    — Eli Wizevich, Smithsonian Magazine, 28 Feb. 2025
Definition of rubbish
Noun
  • Inspectors found old food debris accumulated on the back of the meat slicer.
    — Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 4 Apr. 2025
  • Winds can be powerful enough to jostle cars, topple power lines and litter debris on the ground.
    — Brittney Melton, NPR, 4 Apr. 2025
Definition of debris
Verb
  • Rice, mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, and gravy were discarded after they were measured too cold to be safe.
    — Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 28 Mar. 2025
  • However, when cashew nuts are processed, the cashew apple, although edible, is often discarded or left unused in many commercial nut processing systems.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 26 Mar. 2025
Definition of discard
Noun
  • From a free boat ride in the Florida Keys that targets the trash in treasured waters, to hotels with sustainability at their core, to thrilling eco-friendly experiences, make your trip to Florida both fun and impactful.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 7 Apr. 2025
  • In those instances, give your extra set of hands a straightforward task, like taking out the trash or clearing the table.
    — Betsy Cribb Watson, Southern Living, 6 Apr. 2025
Definition of trash
Noun
  • Either the kids get discovered now or their dreams may turn to dust.
    — John Hopewell, Variety, 1 Apr. 2025
  • Exposure to silica dust can cause severe lung disease.
    — Rachel Frazin, The Hill, 1 Apr. 2025
Definition of dust

Browse Nearby Words

juniors
junk
junked
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Cite this Entry

“Junk.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/junk. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.

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More from Merriam-Webster on junk

Nglish: Translation of junk for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about junk

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