1
as in cheese
that which is of low quality or worth
couldn't believe that such junk was chosen to be read for the book club my car is junk—it spends more time in the shop than on the road
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in garbage
discarded or useless material
junk on the side of the road waiting for the trash collection
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to dump
to get rid of as useless or unwanted
we'll have to junk this old car
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of junk
Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 6 Jan. 2026
Shortly after, ratings agencies S&P Global and Fitch Ratings each issued BB credit ratings on the company’s debt noting stable outlooks, placing the company’s rating in junk territory.
—Lillian Rizzo, CNBC, 5 Jan. 2026
Steve Forbes, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
His command has improved, and he’s gone from getting lit up against lefties to passable by junking his split-change, using a different grip for a true changeup to give him a viable option against left-handed hitters.
—Keith Law, New York Times, 31 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for junk
Noun
His trial was apparently beset with junk evidence and a lackluster defense, with faulty ballistics evidence going unchallenged by his attorney.
—Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 6 Jan. 2026
Shortly after, ratings agencies S&P Global and Fitch Ratings each issued BB credit ratings on the company’s debt noting stable outlooks, placing the company’s rating in junk territory.
—Lillian Rizzo, CNBC, 5 Jan. 2026
Verb
Equity grading, which curtails teacher discretion, should be junked.
—Steve Forbes, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
His command has improved, and he’s gone from getting lit up against lefties to passable by junking his split-change, using a different grip for a true changeup to give him a viable option against left-handed hitters.
—Keith Law, New York Times, 31 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for junk
Recent Examples of Synonyms for junk
Noun
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Goat cheese with prosciutto and arugula is my pairing of choice.—
Cameron Beall,
Southern Living,
12 Jan. 2026
-
High-protein mac and cheese like Goodles is both nutritious and delicious.—
Andrea Strong,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
12 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Installed on the former garbage dump bounded by Sunset, Lewis, Western and Glen Flora avenues, there are now 20,000 solar panels.—
Charles Selle,
Chicago Tribune,
12 Jan. 2026
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Rescuers retrieved eight people alive and were searching for the missing still trapped after a huge mound of garbage and debris collapsed on them in the village of Binaliw in Cebu city, police said.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Pittsburgh is preparing for a significant winter storm that's expected to dump inches of snow across the area this weekend.—
Madeline Bartos,
CBS News,
23 Jan. 2026
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Primaloft Black Eco insulation kept me toasty on 15-degree lift rides at Bolton Valley Ski Resort, while extra-long flank zips are great for dumping heat on the way down.—
Benjamin Tepler,
Outside,
23 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Piles of human scraps offer a bottomless buffet to wildlife, and to access that bounty, animals need to be bold enough to rummage through human rubbish but not so bold as to become a threat to people.—
Marina Wang,
Scientific American,
14 Nov. 2025
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Helga once wrestled down a drunk fisherman in the Café, a man of above-average size, and then threw him out like a piece of rubbish; Jens thus transfers most of his weight automatically to her; who is this kid, by the way?—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Fernando is looking to eventually publish a catalog of seismically tracked, entering space objects, while improving future calculations by factoring in the wind’s effect on falling debris.—
Marcia Dunn,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Jan. 2026
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During all that time, miniscule rocks and debris should continue to to collide and merge into the building blocks of future gas and terrestrial planets.—
Andrew Paul,
Popular Science,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The fawner depends on others to prop up her self-image; the unfawner knows when to discard them entirely.—
Katy Waldman,
New Yorker,
12 Jan. 2026
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Certain dents and signs are clear red flags, signaling you should immediately discard the can to avoid the risk of foodborne illness.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
12 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Tourists are urged to lock up their food and trash, and anglers instructed to bury any bait that may attract scavengers.—
Hilary Whiteman,
CNN Money,
24 Jan. 2026
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Transcripts from nearly a century ago show a city meeting where concerns were voiced about sharp pieces of wood on the south ramp of the pier causing injury to beachgoers who were seeking first aid, sweeping currents pushing people into the pier and trash left behind by the influx of visitors.—
Laylan Connelly,
Oc Register,
24 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Researchers revealed that the high-voltage output facilitates the neutralization and collection of dust and moisture by generating negative ions.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
12 Jan. 2026
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Adding a dust ruffle around the base of your bed can make this spot even better for keeping messy items hidden.—
Lauren Landers,
The Spruce,
12 Jan. 2026
Video
Some Odd Words with ISMO: "Junk in the Trunk"
Comedian ISMO on what separates a boot from a trunk
Cite this Entry
“Junk.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/junk. Accessed 25 Jan. 2026.
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