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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

Examples 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
Skip the junk and level up to the Casabrews 5700PRO (7/10, WIRED Review), which offers an unfussy take on the art of homemade espresso drinks. Jaina Grey, WIRED, 12 Jan. 2025 Or is junk journaling, and whatever crafting trends come next, just internet consumption with a different face? Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 9 Jan. 2025
Verb
The ratings agency Fitch restored Delta’s investment-grade credit rating this July after cutting it to junk during the early years of the COVID-19 pandemic. Melvin Backman, Quartz, 18 Nov. 2024 Downgrades to junk from two of Boeing’s three major credit graders would leave much of its $52 billion of outstanding long-term debt ineligible for inclusion in investment-grade indexes. Caleb Mutua, Fortune, 10 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for junk 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for junk
Noun
  • Thinly slice and roll them with spinach and ricotta cheese.
    Nancy LeBrun, Verywell Health, 21 Jan. 2025
  • There are three tiers of service including Premier Tables ($4,000) with seating for six that includes three bottles of Laurent Perrier La Cuvée or Brut Rosé, one Chute Eleven seafood tower and one cheese and charcuterie board.
    Rob Reed, Forbes, 21 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • The 55-year-old super’s body was found hidden under Navarro’s bed wrapped in clothing and two garbage bags, one covering his top half, the other covering his lower half.
    Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 17 Jan. 2025
  • Then again, one man’s garbage TV is another man’s treasure.
    Erik Kain, Forbes, 17 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • On Thursday, two activists from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) were arrested while attempting to dump a truckload of manure outside the Manhattan offices of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA).
    Gabe Whisnant, Newsweek, 25 Jan. 2025
  • Milwaukee could not even bid for Butler without dumping salary to get under the second apron.
    Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 23 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • On the evening of January 14, a woman was arrested after allegedly setting multiple piles of rubbish and trash on fire, Jim McDonnell, chief of the Los Angeles Police Department, said at a news conference last week.
    Zoe Sottile, CNN, 21 Jan. 2025
  • Combine principles with experience Anyone can send out glib; motivational rubbish based on principles.
    Jodie Cook, Forbes, 17 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • Several carts loaded with household possessions travelled down a thoroughfare scattered with rubble and debris.
    Mohammed Salem, USA TODAY, 20 Jan. 2025
  • Today, stove tops jut out of the sand, mixing with glass bottles and pieces of debris scattered by Hurricane Beryl in July of 2024.
    Joe Sills, Forbes, 19 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • The first-stage booster that had been tapped during the original attempts was discarded for a new booster.
    Richard Tribou, Orlando Sentinel, 15 Jan. 2025
  • That’s $57 billion in gold and other components irresponsibly discarded.
    David Joosten, Forbes, 14 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • Environmental groups have urged Levine Cava to abandon the incinerator plan in favor of waste reduction, but the mayor had previously said other options endangered the county trash system’s ability to keep up with planned growth.
    Douglas Hanks, Miami Herald, 26 Jan. 2025
  • The people that live in the shadows of New York’s 27 landfills desperately need reform to alleviate the high volume of trash flowing into their communities.
    Ryan Castalia, New York Daily News, 23 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • Vacuum out your detector every few months to prevent dust build up.
    Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 17 Jan. 2025
  • The arched geometric designs and texture add intrigue, while the latter also serves a functional purpose—to easily scrape off dirt and dust from your shoes.
    Megan Schaltegger, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 Jan. 2025

Thesaurus Entries Near junk

Cite this Entry

“Junk.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/junk. Accessed 29 Jan. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on junk

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