junior 1 of 2

adjective

ˈjün-yər How to pronounce junior (audio)
Definition of juniornext
as in smaller
having not so great importance or rank as another junior advisers to the governor

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

junior

2 of 2

noun

as in subordinate
one who is of lower rank and typically under the authority of another she's his junior in the company

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 junior
Adjective
Geological uncertainty makes betting on junior ventures extraordinarily risky, but if a mineral deposit proves to have significant reserves, the junior can sell the project or bring in a new partner, and that payout is large. — Tom Moerenhout, Foreign Affairs, 4 Nov. 2026 This junior receiver didn’t play until the Eagles’ fifth game because of an injury, but all signs point to him back in football shape and doing things only players with a Mosley gene can do. — Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 4 Nov. 2026
Noun
Brown make a surprising choice to turn pro two years ago while a junior in high school. — ABC News, 8 Nov. 2026 Subscribe now University junior Lindy Gan shot a 7-under-par 65 to capture the CIF-SS individual girls golf title by four strokes at Skylinks Golf Course in Long Beach on Thursday. — Dan Albano, Oc Register, 7 Nov. 2026 See All Example Sentences for junior
Recent Examples of Synonyms for junior
  1. less
  2. subordinate
  3. lesser
  4. minion
  5. lower
  6. assistant
  7. small
Adjective
  • Consider this your chance to improve your entire bed's comfort for less.
    — Jacorey Moon, Architectural Digest, 7 Nov. 2026
  • The monster romance is as old as Pasiphaë tricking the white bull into bedding her, but a spate of recent offerings, across film and literature, especially, have come to form something less like a genre and more like a drug.
    — Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 7 Nov. 2026
Definition of less
Noun
  • The case involved a relationship gone sour between the accused and a female subordinate, according to a source familiar with the department’s investigation.
    — Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 29 Oct. 2026
  • At Wednesday’s hearing, Waller followed the administration’s lead and refused to name or describe the new gunshot detection tool, passing questions about specifics off to a subordinate.
    — Jake Sheridan, Chicago Tribune, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of subordinate
Adjective
  • Even lesser-scale incidents like the Varsity Blues college admissions scandal and the Volkswagen emissions scandal erode trust in the institutions that help make our society possible and push it forward.
    — Lindsey Witmer Collins, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2025
  • Toronto’s Fred VanVleet appears to be the top target, but Miami’s Kyle Lowry, Utah’s Mike Conley and, perhaps to a lesser extent, Charlotte’s Terry Rozier have been linked to the team at various points.
    — Staff Writer Follow, Los Angeles Times, 3 Feb. 2023
Definition of lesser
Noun
  • Dozens and dozens of Trump minions parroted the same line for days — how dare Obama mock such a beloved American eatery?
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 30 Oct. 2026
  • Gavin Newsom’s legislative minions just got a lesson in constitutional supremacy.
    — , FOXNews.com, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of minion
Adjective
  • Despite those lower court rulings, the practice has continued nationally, said Gregory Chen, the senior director of government relations for the Immigration Lawyers Association.
    — Seth Klamann, Denver Post, 3 Sep. 2025
  • And ultimately, the Supreme Court overruled those lower court rulings and did declare the embryos as children qualifying under the wrongful death statute.
    — Dana Taylor, USA TODAY, 1 Mar. 2024
Definition of lower
Noun
  • In Facebook groups for Astro owners, users have complained of diminished customer service and griped that Amazon's AIexa+ AI assistant isn't supported on Astro.
    — Annie Palmer, CNBC, 8 Nov. 2026
  • Newsweek’s reporters and editors used Martyn, our AI assistant, to produce this story.
    — Megan Cartwright, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Nov. 2026
Definition of assistant
Adjective
  • Murphy said doctors diagnosed him with a small hemorrhagic stroke, which is a bleed in the brain.
    — Kevin Freking, Los Angeles Times, 7 Nov. 2026
  • This design improves control over unwanted current leakage as transistors become smaller.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 7 Nov. 2026
Definition of small

Browse Nearby Words

jungles
junior
junior high school
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Cite this Entry

“Junior.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/junior. Accessed 12 Nov. 2026.

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