junk 1 of 2

junk

2 of 2

verb

Synonym Chooser

How is the word junk different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of junk are cast, discard, scrap, shed, and slough. While all these words mean "to get rid of," scrap and junk imply throwing away or breaking up as worthless in existent form.

scrap all the old ways
would junk our educational system

When is it sensible to use cast instead of junk?

The meanings of cast and junk largely overlap; however, cast, especially when used with off, away, or out, implies a forceful rejection or repudiation.

cast off her friends

Where would discard be a reasonable alternative to junk?

Although the words discard and junk have much in common, discard implies the letting go or throwing away of something that has become useless or superfluous though often not intrinsically valueless.

discard old clothes

How do shed and slough relate to one another, in the sense of junk?

Shed and slough imply a throwing off of something both useless and encumbering and often suggest a consequent renewal of vitality or luster.

shed a bad habit
finally sloughed off the depression

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 junk
Noun
And in a world filled with junk content, where everyone is a wannabe influencer peddling their lifestyle and products, Tate’s a pretty good pick for learning how to live your life, said 21-year-old John Fitch, who spars at Betiss’ gym a few times a week. Will Carless, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2025 From genetic junk to evolutionary driver Despite their chaotic tendencies, LINE-1 elements have made significant contributions to reshaping the human genome. Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 29 Aug. 2025
Verb
Republicans and some Democrats wanted to junk the requirement. Richard Ruelas, AZCentral.com, 1 June 2025 There are worse things that can be done to good government than junking Humphrey’s Executor, and Trump is busily engaged in many of them. Ruth Marcus, New Yorker, 29 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for junk
Recent Examples of Synonyms for junk
Noun
  • The sandwiches are named with references to art, such as the Van Gogh made with roast beef, fresh dill, Havarti cheese, sprouts and deli mustard on pumpernickel bread; or the hot Picasso made with savory meatballs, provolone cheese and Mama Cosenza’s original Italian sauce on an 8-inch baguette.
    Endia Fontanez, AZCentral.com, 8 Sep. 2025
  • Flip patties and cook 1 minute; carefully place 2 tablespoons of the cheese on each patty, cover with a transparent lid and cook until cheese is melted and patties are cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes more.
    Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 7 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • People were calling it tacky, brave, MFA garbage, heart wrenching.
    Sarah Adler September 8, Literary Hub, 8 Sep. 2025
  • The character of Robbie, a garbage collector- turned-criminal, came to you through a suggestion from someone.
    Antonia Blyth, Deadline, 5 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Dexter has borrowed Prater’s yacht to dump his body into the East River.
    Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 5 Sep. 2025
  • The season will detail 10 different cases, including a Las Vegas journalist ambushed outside his residence, a body dumped in a NYC tunnel, and a mission to discover the identity of a victim found in the East River.
    Giana Levy, Variety, 5 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Hundreds of protesters gathered outside the police headquarters in Denpasar, Bali’s capital, on Saturday as some burned rubbish on the street and police fired tear gas into the crowd.
    Chad de Guzman, Time, 1 Sep. 2025
  • Pieces of plastic, including bottles, bags, straws and cutlery, make up two thirds of the rubbish found in rivers around the world, according to a new analysis.
    Jamie Hailstone, Forbes.com, 16 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Police and army inspect damage to a house destroyed by debris from a shot down Russian drone in the village of Wyryki-Wola, eastern Poland, on September 10, 2025.
    Sam Meredith, CNBC, 11 Sep. 2025
  • Be careful when handling debris that may have blown into your yard.
    CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 11 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • According to a criminal complaint, Briceno, whom authorities said is an undocumented immigrant, used a firearm to shoot inside the doorway of the bar and then discarded the firearm, which law enforcement never recovered.
    Bill Hutchinson, ABC News, 7 Sep. 2025
  • In mahjong, four players draw and discard tiles with different suits, numbers and Chinese characters.
    Jason Ma, Fortune, 7 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • By contrast, Jeffrey goes out of his way to help the employees, breaking into Mitch’s computer to change their timesheets and stealing a trash bag full of goodies to donate to the toy drive at Leigh’s church.
    Peter Debruge, Variety, 7 Sep. 2025
  • The polyolefins Marks is referring to are what trash bags, plastic wrap, squeeze bottles, and other disposable single-use packaging are made of.
    Abhimanyu Ghoshal, New Atlas, 7 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • How Often To Clean Linoleum Floors For general cleaning, Marla Mock, president of Molly Maid, recommends removing dust and debris in high-traffic areas daily using a dry microfiber mop.
    Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 7 Sep. 2025
  • The dust-less quality makes litter tracking minimal and easy to clean up.
    Kayla Blanton, PEOPLE, 7 Sep. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Junk.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/junk. Accessed 13 Sep. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on junk

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!