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
Junior women Addalye VanGrinsven went wire-to-wire to win the junior title, finishing almost three points ahead of Kylie Smith. — Nancy Armour, USA Today, 10 Aug. 2026 Craig threw a pass to sophomore slot receiver Ed Small that was tightly contested, and the ball floated in the air off a deflection, landing in the hands of redshirt junior safety Jordan Lester. — Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 Aug. 2026
Noun
Taxe, who was a Glenbrook North junior when the movie was filmed in 1985, was given the opportunity to apply to be an extra along with her sister, Michelle Rice. — Alexandra Murphy, Chicago Tribune, 3 Aug. 2026 Miami announced Monday that the junior forward will miss the 2026-27 season with an ACL tear. — Adam Lichtenstein, Sun Sentinel, 3 Aug. 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
  • This lounge set will give you one less headache on travel day.
    — Jasmine Gomez, Travel + Leisure, 8 Aug. 2026
  • The lumberjacks had used their trucks to block access to the Quebec border in protest of Canadian loggers who were stealing their jobs by working for less.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of less
Noun
  • Whether peer-to-peer, superior-to-subordinate, or subordinate-to-superior, there has to be trust.
    — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026
  • The supporting figures are colorful enough, though Akkabi’s sneering chief villain arguably makes less of an impression than his subordinates.
    — Dennis Harvey, Variety, 26 July 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
  • One of Danhausen’s minions took out Mysterio with a flipping dive on the outside.
    — Blake Oestriecher, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026
  • Daniel isn’t this devil’s only minion; Armand’s got an Illumination movie’s worth of cronies doing his bidding.
    — Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 20 July 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
  • Second-year University of Connecticut student Kira Mesick jumped at the chance to fill a resident assistant job at the university’s new, $29 million residence hall in downtown Hartford, seizing on its Pratt Street location.
    — Kenneth R. Gosselin, Hartford Courant, 9 Aug. 2026
  • Sustaining a life in medicine would be impossible without the support of my colleagues — doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, medical assistants, technicians and translators.
    — Rajani LaRocca, PEOPLE, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of assistant
Adjective
  • These vines will also happily wind their way around tree trunks and shrubs and fix themselves in place with small rootlets that take on a hairy appearance as poison ivy plants mature.
    — Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Tidy a corner and play a favorite song, letting a small routine remind everyone that care comes through simple, repeatable acts.
    — Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 10 Aug. 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 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of junior for Spanish Speakers

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