1
as in worthless
having no usefulness
that broken watch you're wearing is junky
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in cheap
of low quality
a junky coat that is sure to fall apart after one winter
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 junky
The boys feel like their stuff is cheap and junky.
—
Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 16 May 2026
Rather than launching a sleek, new encrypted messaging app, Musk dropped an insular, junky extension of his social media platform that happens to include encrypted messaging.
—Reece Rogers, Wired News, 27 Apr. 2026
But those competitors have released junky TikTok clones and slop generators.
—Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 28 Jan. 2026
Cheap gifts don’t have to be junky.
—Jessie Quinn, StyleCaster, 25 Nov. 2025
Just in the past two days, the spicy, junky stuff has come in a bit ( quantum , drones , upstart nuclear power ), helpfully.
—Michael Santoli, CNBC, 17 Oct. 2025
The restaurant only has one Formica table in a junky storage area by the drink fountain.
—Bud Kennedy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 May 2025
Blomkamp can’t quite recapture the explosive propulsion of his debut feature, but Damon is a sturdy hero, and the director creates a convincingly junky future.
—Jason Bailey, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025
Windows Search includes a bunch of extra graphics and junky newsfeed items and apps by default.
—Ars Technica, 19 Feb. 2025
Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 16 May 2026
Rather than launching a sleek, new encrypted messaging app, Musk dropped an insular, junky extension of his social media platform that happens to include encrypted messaging.
—Reece Rogers, Wired News, 27 Apr. 2026
But those competitors have released junky TikTok clones and slop generators.
—Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 28 Jan. 2026
Cheap gifts don’t have to be junky.
—Jessie Quinn, StyleCaster, 25 Nov. 2025
Just in the past two days, the spicy, junky stuff has come in a bit ( quantum , drones , upstart nuclear power ), helpfully.
—Michael Santoli, CNBC, 17 Oct. 2025
The restaurant only has one Formica table in a junky storage area by the drink fountain.
—Bud Kennedy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 May 2025
Blomkamp can’t quite recapture the explosive propulsion of his debut feature, but Damon is a sturdy hero, and the director creates a convincingly junky future.
—Jason Bailey, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025
Windows Search includes a bunch of extra graphics and junky newsfeed items and apps by default.
—Ars Technica, 19 Feb. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for junky
Adjective
-
Radical approaches to what is precious and what is worthless—or appraisal—have always been more than the inversion of that which is useless made priceless, what was originally meant to be ephemeral made timeless.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
8 June 2026
-
That essence of the girl who feels worthless and fears she’ll be found out by everyone still exists in Yasmin in Season 4.—
Katie Campione,
Deadline,
7 June 2026
Adjective
-
Analyst Seth Seifman said in a note that the stock still isn’t cheap — with Kratos trading at 76 times forward earnings — but notes that investors have been awarding high-growth companies in this sector with elevated premiums.—
Davis Giangiulio,
CNBC,
12 June 2026
-
While countries highlighted in a new report of summer’s top travel destinations may not come as a surprise, the data also revealed ways to get there for cheaper.—
Lauren Dana Ellman,
Travel + Leisure,
12 June 2026
Adjective
-
Nikolaj Ehlers added an empty-net goal and two assists for the Hurricanes, Jackson Blake had a goal and an assist, and Logan Stankoven scored a goal.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
10 June 2026
-
If Congress doesn't act and allows the trust fund to empty, the program will only pay out what the government collects in taxes.—
Medora Lee,
USA Today,
9 June 2026
Adjective
-
In 2012, a powerful quake visited terrible damage on the city of Modena, Bottura’s home and host to his restaurant.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 June 2026
-
The letter writer’s cousin has cancer, and the chemo gives her terrible side effects.—
Eric Thomas,
Sun Sentinel,
11 June 2026
Adjective
-
The second didn’t go nearly as well for Bussi as Karlsson and Howden scored on two of the Golden Knights’ six shots in the period to tie the score at 3-3 heading into the third, the tying goal coming off a Seth Jarvis turnover and a couple of poor defensive plays by Sean Walker and K’Andre Miller.—
Michael Russo,
New York Times,
10 June 2026
-
Heat radiates from the pages of this extraordinary novel about a poor family in rural Mississippi in the days leading up to Hurricane Katrina.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 June 2026
Adjective
-
Especially defensively, where the Sparks had seemingly been getting worse.—
Marisa Ingemi,
Los Angeles Times,
8 June 2026
-
The festival begins next week for the World Cup, but part of Poplar Drive is already closed, and some neighbors say the closure is making traffic in the area even worse.—
Ryan Hughes,
CBS News,
7 June 2026
Adjective
-
Consumers previously wrote off Chinese goods as inferior, as Chinese manufacturers prioritized quick market entry over original designs.—
Angelica Ang,
Fortune,
9 June 2026
-
Learning how to be the favorite, who plays under the pressure of expectation, instead of how to be the underdog, who plays with the freedom of the unexpected, can make plenty of players vulnerable against an inferior foe at the business end of a tournament.—
Matthew Futterman,
New York Times,
2 June 2026
Adjective
-
Hydrogen sulfide smells like rotten eggs and ammonia gives off notes of urine, sweat or dead fish.—
Bill Kearney,
Sun Sentinel,
12 June 2026
-
Then there was the rotten-egg smell.—
Matthew Sedacca,
Curbed,
10 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Junky.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/junky. Accessed 15 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
