junk 1 of 2

noun

ˈjəŋk How to pronounce junk (audio)
Definition of junknext
1
as in rubbish
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

junk

2 of 2

verb

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

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
The piece of space junk was expected to collide with the lunar surface at 5,400 miles per hour (that’s seven times the speed of sound) near the Eisenhower Crater, on the near side of the moon, which always faces Earth. — Scott Laird, Travel + Leisure, 4 Aug. 2026 According to the affidavit, the blade was wedged between two doors that were propped up alongside several pieces of junk. — Milena Malaver, Miami Herald, 4 Aug. 2026
Verb
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 South Carolina leads with its defense without junking the game. — Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 5 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for junk
Recent Examples of Synonyms for junk
  1. rubbish
  2. garbage
  3. dump
  4. trash
  5. debris
  6. discard
  7. muck
  8. dust
Noun
  • This comes at the expense of no movement in the wrist, but to be fair, having the lightsaber pointed in any other direction would look rubbish.
    — Matt Gardner, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026
  • 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
Definition of rubbish
Noun
  • Marcy had her hair tied up with a bow made from nylon cord and was bent over a fold-up kitchen counter rearranging wet garbage.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Polls show Farage is still likely to win, but that Count Binface — a spoof candidate who wears a garbage pail on his head — may get around 20-percent of the vote.
    — Lauren Frayer, NPR, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of garbage
Verb
  • Thousands of gallons of crude oil were dumped into the river in May when a construction crew trying to lay fiber-optic cable hit a pipeline carrying the substance from Kern County to the Port of Los Angeles.
    — Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 8 Aug. 2026
  • Homeowners tend to dump seed straight onto compacted, untilled soil and expect grass to appear.
    — Amanda Tust, Architectural Digest, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of dump
Noun
  • Debris Tree limbs, broken glass, metal, trash, or other materials could fall into or around the water during a storm.
    — Heidi Moawad, Verywell Health, 8 Aug. 2026
  • That amount of waste would fill roughly 440,000 curbside trash bins.
    — Celina Tebor, CNN Money, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of trash
Noun
  • Rojas has witnessed two people being pulled alive from the debris, as well as the recovery of bodies.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Photos of the outside cemetery show flooding and floating debris.
    — Dave Savini, CBS News, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of debris
Verb
  • Each of the 31 teams needed to be reoutfitted, along with every member of the athletic department staff, and the old stuff discarded.
    — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Numerous foods were discarded and two coolers required repairs, according to the report.
    — Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of discard
Noun
  • Mops of ghostly streamers, some of them longer than my arm, were waving like tentacles atop layers of black muck.
    — James Dinneen, New Yorker, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Even when House of the Dragon is at its best, the prophecy skitters in to make a muck of things.
    — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of muck
Noun
  • And in a bedroom, tucked behind the door and covered in dust, hung a nondescript print in a black and brown frame.
    — Cole Reynolds, Washington Post, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Videos posted to social media showed buildings collapsing and panicked residents running and screaming, as dust filled the sky.
    — Lex Harvey, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of dust

Browse Nearby Words

juniors
junk
junked
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Cite this Entry

“Junk.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/junk. Accessed 15 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on junk

Nglish: Translation of junk for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about junk

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