1
as in custodians
a person who takes care of a property sometimes for an absent owner
got a job as the night janitor at the elementary school
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in porters
a person who tends a door
according to popular Christian tradition, St. Peter acts as janitor at heaven's pearly gates
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 janitors
Some hospital staff, like janitors and cafeteria workers, still make minimum wage.
—
Cassie McGrath,
Fortune,
19 June 2026
Twice a month, students, janitors, security guards and other school staff can come get a full bag of produce.
—
Chris Wragge,
CBS News,
12 June 2026
In 1952, the Sherskys closed Three Feathers and Q was left roaming Knoxville, selling to schoolteachers, promoters, and even janitors.
—
Jonathan Rowe,
SPIN,
1 June 2026
While teachers unions have gotten the most attention, the law also affects many other public sector unions, including those that represent bus drivers, janitors, cafeteria workers and maintenance workers.
—
Scott Travis,
Sun Sentinel,
24 May 2026
Participants included janitors, security officers, airport workers and stadium employees affiliated with SEIU-United Service Workers West, along with a coalition of labor unions, civil rights organizations, immigrant advocacy groups and faith leaders.
—
City News Service,
Daily News,
1 May 2026
Many Japanese elementary schools don’t have janitors, so the clean-up work is left to students.
—
Stephen Wade,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Apr. 2026
The former series brought aliens to Earth; the latter followed two janitors accidentally launched into space.
—
Carmel Dagan,
Variety,
13 Apr. 2026
These outsourced workers received markedly lower wages than janitors who worked directly for Harvard.
—
John Cassidy,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
Cassie McGrath,
Fortune,
19 June 2026
Twice a month, students, janitors, security guards and other school staff can come get a full bag of produce.
—
Chris Wragge,
CBS News,
12 June 2026
In 1952, the Sherskys closed Three Feathers and Q was left roaming Knoxville, selling to schoolteachers, promoters, and even janitors.
—
Jonathan Rowe,
SPIN,
1 June 2026
While teachers unions have gotten the most attention, the law also affects many other public sector unions, including those that represent bus drivers, janitors, cafeteria workers and maintenance workers.
—
Scott Travis,
Sun Sentinel,
24 May 2026
Participants included janitors, security officers, airport workers and stadium employees affiliated with SEIU-United Service Workers West, along with a coalition of labor unions, civil rights organizations, immigrant advocacy groups and faith leaders.
—
City News Service,
Daily News,
1 May 2026
Many Japanese elementary schools don’t have janitors, so the clean-up work is left to students.
—
Stephen Wade,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Apr. 2026
The former series brought aliens to Earth; the latter followed two janitors accidentally launched into space.
—
Carmel Dagan,
Variety,
13 Apr. 2026
These outsourced workers received markedly lower wages than janitors who worked directly for Harvard.
—
John Cassidy,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for janitors
Noun
-
Williams has never lacked interpreters, custodians, handlers, or rescuers with pruning shears.
-
Some custodians give checkbooks to IRA owners.
Noun
-
But porters were able to supplement their wages with tips, which helped propel their families toward the middle class.
-
More people meant more supplies, more waste, and greater pressure on guides, porters and workers; issues spotlighted by viral photos of traffic jams high on the mountain.
Noun
-
The most important thing is to see my ‘keepers thinking about the exercise.
-
According to Harris – working closely with community elders and language keepers to ensure that cultural details are entirely genuine has helped the teams at Doberman Pictures build a globally competitive 2D series that proves authentic Indigenous storytelling has no borders.
Noun
-
The juvenile bear’s wander across campus late Thursday and early Friday prompted an advisory to students and a search by UC Davis police and wardens from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife as well as Yolo County Animal Control.
-
The state wardens and other cops who knew and worked with Bob Markle weren’t just honoring his memory by attending his funeral.
Noun
-
And then every other day, caretakers distribute 60 bales of hay (at 100 pounds each) to the horses.
-
Grief counseling services are being made available to trainers, caretakers, owners and other members of the backstretch community affected by incident, according to the association.
Cite this Entry
“Janitors.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/janitors. Accessed 28 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
