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
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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
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Recent Examples of janitors
The great quarterbacks are janitors for organizational messes, smoothing over the cracks and making a bad team look competent for three hours.
—
Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 29 Sep. 2025
The Teamsters union includes cooks and other food service workers, as well as groundskeepers, janitors, parking attendants, maintenance workers, mechanics and more.
—Emma McNamee, Twin Cities, 9 Sep. 2025
And there is good reason companies still employ janitors to sweep floors despite the invention of the Roomba and commercial versions of robotic sweepers like Avidbots’ Neo.
—Will Yakowicz, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2025
This includes every level of staffing at local schools, from cafeteria workers to janitors, teachers to playground supervisors.
—Kathy Kristof, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Aug. 2025
Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 29 Sep. 2025
The Teamsters union includes cooks and other food service workers, as well as groundskeepers, janitors, parking attendants, maintenance workers, mechanics and more.
—Emma McNamee, Twin Cities, 9 Sep. 2025
And there is good reason companies still employ janitors to sweep floors despite the invention of the Roomba and commercial versions of robotic sweepers like Avidbots’ Neo.
—Will Yakowicz, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2025
This includes every level of staffing at local schools, from cafeteria workers to janitors, teachers to playground supervisors.
—Kathy Kristof, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for janitors
Noun
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Law enforcement are exempt from the law, as well as custodians, maintenance workers, and those providing medical assistance.—
Abby Monteil,
Them.,
23 Sep. 2025
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Two centuries ago, the Litunga (king) turned what had been his private hunting grounds over to his people as custodians.—
Mazuba Kapambwe,
AFAR Media,
10 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Of those who stay, more than eighty per cent work in the informal sector—as domestic servants, street hawkers, porters, cleaners.—
Kapil Komireddi,
New Yorker,
22 Sep. 2025
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Before beginning the ascent, Wyatt and Hofland met about a dozen hikers at the base of the mountain, as well as a dozen more guides or porters.—
Barbie Porter,
Twin Cities,
18 Sep. 2025
Noun
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In addition to the view, the museum includes belongings, photos and memories of the lighthouse keepers and their families.—
Miami Herald Archives,
Miami Herald,
27 Sep. 2025
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Kaliakmanis had two keepers for TDs against the Hawkeyes.—
Andy Greder,
Twin Cities,
25 Sep. 2025
Noun
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In partnership with the West Virginia Division of Corrections, Smith trained over 230 sergeants in a single year, followed by sessions for lieutenants, captains, and wardens.—
Kevin Kruse,
Forbes.com,
17 Sep. 2025
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Game wardens responded to the scene and fatally shot the animal, officials said.—
Natalie Neysa Alund,
USA Today,
15 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Traditionally, the home is coded as a feminine space, with women as caretakers.—
Caterina De Biasio,
Vogue,
24 Sep. 2025
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To understand what this looks like in practice, two women who had metastatic breast cancer and now work as caretakers, shared their perspectives on the importance of communication, preparation and advocacy in the metastatic setting.—
Lauryn Higgins,
Flow Space,
24 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Janitors.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/janitors. Accessed 7 Oct. 2025.
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