1
as in cheese
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
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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of junk
David Sims, The Atlantic, 31 Jan. 2026
Savvy crafters and scrapbookers have been using everyday items that would typically end up in the garbage — such as receipts, fabric scraps, packaging and more — as materials in their junk journals.
—Meredith Wilshere, PEOPLE, 31 Jan. 2026
Steve Forbes, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for junk
Noun
As his career went on, Raimi graduated to making blockbuster versions of junk, including the first Spider-Man trilogy and, most recently, a Doctor Strange sequel for Marvel.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 31 Jan. 2026
Savvy crafters and scrapbookers have been using everyday items that would typically end up in the garbage — such as receipts, fabric scraps, packaging and more — as materials in their junk journals.
—Meredith Wilshere, PEOPLE, 31 Jan. 2026
Verb
Equity grading, which curtails teacher discretion, should be junked.
—Steve Forbes, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for junk
Recent Examples of Synonyms for junk
Noun
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For this meal plan, cheese is featured in the omelet at breakfast, in the salad for lunch and paired with grapes for snack.—
Madeline Holcombe,
CNN Money,
9 Feb. 2026
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Just download the app and join My Rewards to get the free burger — topped with egg, bacon, cheese, Hash Rounds and ketchup — at participating locations (no purchase necessary).—
Mike Snider,
AZCentral.com,
9 Feb. 2026
Noun
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And the magic elixir is able to turn garbage into Jan Ravnik, Swift's pinup backup dancer.—
Bryan West,
USA Today,
6 Feb. 2026
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Every winter, construction machines work around the clock to clear tons of garbage — plastic, furniture, medical waste — clogging the Drina River.—
Eldar Emric,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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As most Chicagoans aware of the history of the civil rights movement know all too well, an all-white, all-male jury acquitted the two men of killing the Black teenager from Chicago and dumping his body in the river.—
Chris Jones,
Chicago Tribune,
12 Feb. 2026
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The mobsters turned the van around, pulled off the highway and dumped Gasso in a patch of poison ivy along the Connecticut River in Wethersfield.—
Edmund H. Mahony,
Hartford Courant,
12 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Piles of human scraps offer a bottomless buffet to wildlife, and to access that bounty, animals need to be bold enough to rummage through human rubbish but not so bold as to become a threat to people.—
Marina Wang,
Scientific American,
14 Nov. 2025
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Helga once wrestled down a drunk fisherman in the Café, a man of above-average size, and then threw him out like a piece of rubbish; Jens thus transfers most of his weight automatically to her; who is this kid, by the way?—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 Nov. 2025
Noun
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The helicopter crashed about 50 feet from a BNSF Railway line and spread debris across the tracks, according to the railway.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
6 Feb. 2026
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Try to find a place that will block blowing or falling debris.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Plastic versions are easier to clean, but should be discarded if cracked or damaged.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
7 Feb. 2026
-
The products should be discarded.—
Marley Malenfant,
Austin American Statesman,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Fox News Digital took photos of the nearby camps — which contain piles of junk, such as clothes, open containers, boxes, bags and trash.—
Michael Ruiz , Adriana James-Rodil,
FOXNews.com,
13 Feb. 2026
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Get rid of trash now, Alaniz urged, to reduce the amount that needs to be moved later.—
Doug Ross,
Chicago Tribune,
13 Feb. 2026
Noun
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How Often To Clean Linoleum Floors For general cleaning, Marla Mock, president of Molly Maid, recommends removing dust and debris in high-traffic areas daily using a dry microfiber mop.—
Daley Quinn,
Southern Living,
8 Feb. 2026
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Simply take a soft cloth with a mild cleaner and give them a wipe—both to remove dust and grime, and to clear off any lingering germs that might hop from person to person.—
Ashley Chalmers,
The Spruce,
8 Feb. 2026
Video
Some Odd Words with ISMO: "Junk in the Trunk"
Comedian ISMO on what separates a boot from a trunk
Cite this Entry
“Junk.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/junk. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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