junk 1 of 2

Definition of junknext

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
Damaged or mismatched gold and silver jewelry The junk jewelry dish may not be junk at all. Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 24 June 2026 This is where the junk drawer surprises people. Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 24 June 2026
Verb
So Squeri junked the scoreboard. Ruth Umoh, Fortune, 11 May 2026 Sets would be built and then junked only to be rebuilt again at considerable cost due to an overall lack of familiarity with standard Hollywood filmmaking procedures. Chris Lee, Vulture, 27 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for junk
Recent Examples of Synonyms for junk
Noun
  • Popular orders include the wild flounder meunière, steak tartare, fig and arugula salad, and duck confit, while the cheese and charcuterie menu pairs ideally wine.
    Kaila Yu, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
  • Add about a tablespoon of cheese to the oil and vinegar, smushing it in with a fork, to add creaminess and body to the dressing.
    Kate Williams, AJC.com, 29 June 2026
Noun
  • Decomposing food can release hydrogen sulfide, a toxic gas synonymous with landfills and garbage.
    Tony Briscoe, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2026
  • Epidemics, worsened by the unsanitary conditions caused by the mountains of garbage the government has stopped collecting, combine with the shortage of medicines and the dire state of medical facilities.
    Sarah Moreno July 1, Miami Herald, 1 July 2026
Verb
  • Plum Island beaches in Newburyport, Massachusetts are closed after 60,000 gallons of wastewater were accidentally dumped into the Merrimack River on Thursday.
    Neal Riley, CBS News, 26 June 2026
  • By the end of the debate, about 150 men dressed in Indigenous costumes, their faces smeared with soot, stormed to a nearby wharf and dumped a literal boatload of tea into the water.
    Phaedra Trethan, USA Today, 26 June 2026
Noun
  • Only construction waste will be accepted at the landfill such as, brush and rubbish, concrete, brick, rock, wood, paper, plastics, cardboard and roofing shingles and tiles.
    Elizabeth Campbell, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 July 2026
  • So where does the rubbish come from?
    Jasmin Malik Chua, Footwear News, 8 June 2026
Noun
  • Rodríguez denied those claims, saying some remote areas were difficult to reach because roads were blocked by landslides and debris, forcing authorities to rely on motorcycles, drones and satellite imagery.
    Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 3 July 2026
  • Seconds later, a powerful explosion blasted through the doorway, shattering windows and sending vertical blinds and debris flying as firefighters quickly retreated from the building.
    Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 2 July 2026
Verb
  • Once everything is clean, discard the next few batches of ice before resuming use.
    Caroline Lubinsky, Martha Stewart, 27 June 2026
  • Nationally, the survey found that 43% of respondents always or usually discard food near or past the date on the label, up from 37% in 2016.
    Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 26 June 2026
Noun
  • In the 1980s, the Friends of the LA River pushed to address street runoff and trash that had made the water body infamous.
    Mack Baysinger Follow, Los Angeles Times, 27 June 2026
  • In the city of Miami, improperly disposing trash — like taking the trash from one of your homes and throwing it away in another of your property’s bins — can result in a $525 fine.
    Amaia Gavica, Miami Herald, 26 June 2026
Noun
  • The Aspiron Canister Vacuum is designed with a powerful brushless motor, three-stage filtration system, and large dust cup that keeps shoppers from having to constantly empty it.
    Jill Layton, PEOPLE, 4 July 2026
  • The dust has not quite settled on one of this season’s blockbuster trades during NBA free agency.
    Lauren Williams, AJC.com, 3 July 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Junk.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/junk. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.

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