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junk

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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
Tedesco's father grew up on the north end of Detroit in a home without heat, across from a railroad and junk yard. Nushrat Rahman, Freep.com, 14 Oct. 2025 While in 2019 about 13,700 objects (including space junk) zoomed around the planet in low Earth orbit (LEO), at altitudes below 1,200 miles (2,000 kilometers), that number has since risen to 24,185 objects in 2025, an increase of 76%, according to the study. Tereza Pultarova, Space.com, 13 Oct. 2025
Verb
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 Streaming’s surge is powered by younger consumers who have junked the TV habit or never picked it up in the first place. Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 20 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for junk
Recent Examples of Synonyms for junk
Noun
  • At its height in 2017, there were 150 Farm Bank deli counters slinging cheese that supposedly came from the company’s farms.
    Moisés Naím, Literary Hub, 27 Oct. 2025
  • Wait for the cheese to turn golden brown before taking this dish out of the oven.
    Lisa Cericola, Southern Living, 26 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • After an effort to create a Falls of the Ohio national park fell short in 1967, Kentucky and Indiana officials struggled to stop the falls from becoming a garbage dump.
    Leo Bertucci, Louisville Courier Journal, 25 Oct. 2025
  • Generally, what happens to the White House’s trash is secret—at least as of 2018, which was apparently the last time the federal government released any information on where Oval Office garbage goes.
    Nancy Walecki, The Atlantic, 25 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • While index funds have made markets more accessible and slashed management fees, BlackRock's Fink said that the funds are considered the ultimate long-term investors, and unlike active investors, don't usually dump stocks when corporate governance issues arise.
    Alex Harring, CNBC, 24 Oct. 2025
  • Tropical Storm Melissa is effectively parked in the central Caribbean, dumping devastating amounts of rain on Haiti and Jamaica that has already claimed at least three lives and destroyed one bridge.
    Alex Harris, Miami Herald, 24 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • One hurdle for these editors is that far-right hate is more conducive to digital slop, both because algorithms prize outlandish ragebait and because the tribalistic ideas themselves are low IQ rubbish.
    Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 24 Oct. 2025
  • This was due to the incredible amount of rubbish that had been left to pile up inside.
    Jack Beresford, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • There’s a lot of stuff in the ocean, and marine debris tends to aggregate in the same places as does the whale sharks’ primary prey.
    JSTOR Daily, JSTOR Daily, 24 Oct. 2025
  • Next, vacuum the filter using a soft-bristle brush attachment to remove the bulk of the dust and debris buildup.
    Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • She is accused of killing her 39-year-old boyfriend, David Carter, dismembering him then discarding his body parts along I-75 near Hancock, Ohio in September 2018.
    Christine Pelisek, PEOPLE, 25 Oct. 2025
  • Cool the sauce completely, then strain and discard the solids, and pour it into the tray.
    Malaka Gharib, NPR, 25 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • In a photo posted by MLB insider Ben Verlander, Yamamoto is seen with his pitcher's glove picking up trash after his fantastic start.
    MSNBC Newsweek, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Oct. 2025
  • As a plus, the mats can be washed and reused instead of going in the trash.
    Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 25 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Kitchens require constant cleaning, as dust and grease build up on cabinet tops.
    Lauren Bengtson, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Oct. 2025
  • Unfortunately, curtains can gather a lot of dust, mold, or dirt if not cleaned every so often, and can lead to allergies and an unhygienic home.
    Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 25 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Junk.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/junk. Accessed 28 Oct. 2025.

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