junk food

noun

Definition of junk food

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 Many of us are self-medicating with junk food or alcohol or other drugs to make it through. — John Duffy, CNN, "These people thrived in pandemic isolation -- and aren't ready to return to 'normal' socializing," 9 Apr. 2021 The videos featuring junk food have collectively been viewed more than 1 billion times. — Anahad O’connor New York Times, Star Tribune, "Are Youtube 'kidfluencers' making our kids fat?," 14 Nov. 2020 Fast food, grocery store delis and junk food altered the availability of a quick meal. — David Reamer, Anchorage Daily News, "In 1953, Anchorage restaurant workers were unionized, and powerful enough that they shut down almost every restaurant in town," 14 Mar. 2021 However, even the best liposuction won’t have long-lasting results if the client, after the operation, only eats junk food and remains sedentary. — Danny Star, Forbes, "What Online Reputation Management Really Is: Speaking Up For Yourself," 1 Mar. 2021 Parents beware: Many YouTube channels that are wildly popular with young children are targeting them with thinly veiled ads for sugary beverages and junk food. — Anahad O’connor New York Times, Star Tribune, "Are Youtube 'kidfluencers' making our kids fat?," 14 Nov. 2020 The excuse for grabbing junk food is our lack of time to get something healthier. — Colin Daniels, Chron, "Maintain your 2021 nutrition goals on the go," 12 Jan. 2021 Eve by eating junk food at home with his wife and their four children. — Dan Mcgowan, BostonGlobe.com, "R.I. doctor to get second vaccine dose on Saturday, but warns, ‘We’re really in the tsunami of this pandemic’," 30 Dec. 2020 After five nights of normal sleep, however, this pattern of stronger brain responses to the junk food disappeared. — Star Tribune, "How foods may affect our sleep," 8 Jan. 2021

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'junk food.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

14 Apr 2021

Cite this Entry

“Junk food.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/junk%20food. Accessed 17 Apr. 2021.

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More Definitions for junk food

junk food

noun

English Language Learners Definition of junk food

informal : food that is not good for your health because it contains high amounts of fat or sugar

See the full definition for junk food in the English Language Learners Dictionary

junk food

noun

Kids Definition of junk food

: food that is high in calories but low in nutritional content

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