junk food

noun

1
: food that is high in calories but low in nutritional content
2
: something that is appealing or enjoyable but of little or no real value
video junk food

Examples of junk food in a Sentence

worrying about kids eating too much junk food eating too many junk foods
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Gibraltarian macaques are eating dirt to help digest junk food. Ann Manov, Harpers Magazine, 23 June 2026 Some shows were educational, some were pure, glorious junk food for the mind, and others became cultural touchstones. Lauren Brown West-Rosenthal, Parents, 22 June 2026 Not surprisingly, some of the most addictive foods named in the study were grocery store junk foods — ultraprocessed cookies, cakes, doughnuts, muffins, pies, pizza, chips, candy and other snack foods. Sandee Lamotte, CNN Money, 17 June 2026 Few foods occupy a space as unique as instant noodles, simultaneously worshipped as a junk food treat and a reliable staple for millions of people around the world. Cnn.com Wire Service, Mercury News, 16 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for junk food

Word History

First Known Use

1952, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of junk food was in 1952

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Cite this Entry

“Junk food.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/junk%20food. Accessed 26 Jun. 2026.

Kids Definition

junk food

noun
: food that is high in calories but low in nutritional value

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