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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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
Tim Scott, South Carolina’s junior senator, has been in office only since 2012 — short by the state’s standards. — Meg Kinnard, Los Angeles Times, 13 July 2026 Scott, South Carolina’s junior senator, has been in office only since 2012 — short by the state’s standards. — Meg Kinnard, Fortune, 13 July 2026
Noun
As a junior, Geneva’s Bennett Konkey became an expert on the subject of speed. — Rick Armstrong, Chicago Tribune, 11 July 2026 And as a junior, Bogenpohl put together one of the best two-way seasons in Missouri. — Latif Love july 10, Kansas City Star, 10 July 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
  • When more homes are built and the housing shortage is chipped away, existing homes in the area may sell for less money.
    — Samantha Delouya, CNN Money, 11 July 2026
  • The bill sets aside some $83 million to establish a range of shelter options, with less emphasis on unused hotel rooms.
    — Scott Cohn, CNBC, 11 July 2026
Definition of less
Noun
  • Mayor Dean Trantalis, Commissioner Steven Glassman and Commissioner John Herbst took issue with her leadership, accusing her of being dismissive to subordinates and ruffling too many feathers.
    — Amanda Rosa, Miami Herald, 3 July 2026
  • Put simply, the theory says the president should be able to issue orders to subordinates and to fire them at will.
    — Graham G. Dodds, The Conversation, 30 June 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
  • This iconic live-action movie features NBA superstar Michael Jordan, who is recruited by Bugs Bunny and the Looney Tunes, the Tune Squad, for a high-stakes game against an evil theme park owner and his minions, the Monstars, in outer space.
    — Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 14 July 2026
  • The rest of the Aquamarine team — including Cecilia’s minions, played by Tammin Sursok, Dichen Lachman and Natasha Cunningham — awaited in Australia.
    — Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 14 July 2026
Definition of minion
Adjective
  • 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
  • Lower gas demand amid increasing supply has led to lower pump prices.
    — Frank Witsil, Detroit Free Press, 19 June 2023
Definition of lower
Noun
  • Bollo, the son of a domestic worker and a line cook, said he’s applied to work as a teaching assistant and graduate researcher, which would waive the cost of his tuition.
    — Andrew Khouri, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026
  • How — and to what extent — AI might reshape her profession remains to be seen, but jobs for administrative assistants and secretaries have been dwindling for decades.
    — Claire Savage, Fortune, 5 July 2026
Definition of assistant
Adjective
  • In contrast, instruments on the FireSat satellites will be able to detect small brush and roadside fires 16 feet across.
    — Eric Niiler, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026
  • At the Cannes Film Festival in May, the model Toni Garrn made a striking appearance in a blue-black bustier dress embroidered with small petals.
    — Amy Verner, Vogue, 6 July 2026
Definition of small

Browse Nearby Words

jungles
junior
junior high school
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Junior.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/junior. Accessed 16 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on junior

Nglish: Translation of junior for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of bibelot

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
child-detective
Spot the Misspelled Word July 2026 Those little red underlines can't help you now...
See All