1
as in custodians
a person who takes care of a property sometimes for an absent owner
got a job as the night janitor at the elementary school
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in porters
a person who tends a door
according to popular Christian tradition, St. Peter acts as janitor at heaven's pearly gates
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of janitors
Eight Democratic candidates appeared at a forum sponsored by SEIU United Service Workers West, which represents more than 45,000 janitors, security officers, airport service employees and other workers in California.
—
Seema Mehta, Los Angeles Times, 11 Jan. 2026
Its member organizations include SEIU Healthcare and Locals 1 and 73, representing workers across various industries, including janitors, child care workers, and private security officers and doormen.
—A.d. Quig, Chicago Tribune, 7 Jan. 2026
These seasonal park employees are largely paid hourly and hold blue-collar roles, such as janitors, trail workers, electricians, painters, and mechanics.
—Owen Clarke, Outside, 12 Dec. 2025
The same workers who keep this country running every single day—home care aides, teachers, bus drivers and janitors who can’t afford to get sick.
—Linda Goler Blount, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2025
Think janitors all the way up to the CEOs that make a hospital hum.
—Phil Blair, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Oct. 2025
Qing Yuan had seen many of these tiny corpses, pinkish, yellowish, tin-gray, curled up, always seemingly asleep, tossed by janitors into fires outside the building.
—Literary Hub, 23 Oct. 2025
Low-wage service workers, including cleaners, janitors, security guards, cafeteria workers and other staffers who keep buildings operating, are often out of luck.
—Matt Egan, CNN Money, 7 Oct. 2025
The great quarterbacks are janitors for organizational messes, smoothing over the cracks and making a bad team look competent for three hours.
—Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 29 Sep. 2025
Seema Mehta, Los Angeles Times, 11 Jan. 2026
Its member organizations include SEIU Healthcare and Locals 1 and 73, representing workers across various industries, including janitors, child care workers, and private security officers and doormen.
—A.d. Quig, Chicago Tribune, 7 Jan. 2026
These seasonal park employees are largely paid hourly and hold blue-collar roles, such as janitors, trail workers, electricians, painters, and mechanics.
—Owen Clarke, Outside, 12 Dec. 2025
The same workers who keep this country running every single day—home care aides, teachers, bus drivers and janitors who can’t afford to get sick.
—Linda Goler Blount, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2025
Think janitors all the way up to the CEOs that make a hospital hum.
—Phil Blair, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Oct. 2025
Qing Yuan had seen many of these tiny corpses, pinkish, yellowish, tin-gray, curled up, always seemingly asleep, tossed by janitors into fires outside the building.
—Literary Hub, 23 Oct. 2025
Low-wage service workers, including cleaners, janitors, security guards, cafeteria workers and other staffers who keep buildings operating, are often out of luck.
—Matt Egan, CNN Money, 7 Oct. 2025
The great quarterbacks are janitors for organizational messes, smoothing over the cracks and making a bad team look competent for three hours.
—Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 29 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for janitors
Noun
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Pricing structures vary between dealers, retirement-account transactions often require coordination with custodians and storage providers, and purchases frequently involve direct interaction with company representatives.—
Roxanne Downer,
USA Today,
10 Feb. 2026
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But details of the city’s budget process show all sides had a hand in making the decisions that led to the custodians getting laid off.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Brave Pullman porters carried the Chicago Defender with coverage of the funeral on trains headed south from Chicago, sparking outrage and igniting a movement.—
Chris Jones,
Chicago Tribune,
12 Feb. 2026
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Best known as Travelers Rest’s first craft brewery, this spot is a local favorite popular for its world-class selection of beers, with everything from pale ales to porters.—
Symiah Dorsey,
Southern Living,
4 Jan. 2026
Noun
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From 1883 to 1977, opulent trains operated under this banner throughout Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, inspiring Agatha Christie’s titular 1934 mystery, along with legions of bucket-list-keepers for whom the trains represent the ne plus ultra of glamorous, old-school travel.—
Adam Erace,
Travel + Leisure,
6 Feb. 2026
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Nonprofit associations provide the option to apply online to aid a variety of lighthouses with maintenance, acting as docents and staying overnight as volunteer keepers.—
Jenna Prestininzi,
Freep.com,
4 Feb. 2026
Noun
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According to wardens, a team of trackers spotted the twins on Saturday, with monitoring and protection measures in force to increase their chances of survival.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
9 Jan. 2026
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Forest wardens walk into Kyebi Forest Reserve in the East Akim Municipal district in Ghana.—
Charlie Campbell,
Time,
30 Oct. 2025
Noun
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This week, caretakers released the bird once more and stood on the beach as the western snowy plover took flight over waves that crashed against the sandy coastline.—
Caleb Lunetta,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 Feb. 2026
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The case alleges that Doe’s caretakers force-fed her in the days leading up to the visit.—
Jane Borden,
Rolling Stone,
5 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Janitors.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/janitors. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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