junk 1 of 2

junk

2 of 2

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

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
Ensuring aviation safety in context of a potential space junk strike was not taken into consideration until the 2003 Columbia space shuttle disaster, in which the spacecraft broke apart while re-entering the atmosphere. Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 6 Feb. 2025 This event features photos with the Easter Bunny, baby goats, bunny bingo, Plinko, junk walk and more. Kay Johnson, Twin Cities, 6 Feb. 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
  • Add cheese and beat on low speed until just combined, about 30 seconds.
    Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 25 Feb. 2025
  • According to Freddy's, the Original Double comes standard with two patties, two slices of cheese, mustard, onion slices and pickle planks.
    Gabe Hauari, USA TODAY, 25 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • Crews wearing hazmat suits shoveled mounds of ash into plastic garbage bags.
    Tony Briscoe, Los Angeles Times, 12 Feb. 2025
  • Hegseth calls new names 'garbage' Hegseth already signaled his intention to revert the original, Confederate names of two bases.
    Tom Vanden Brook, USA TODAY, 11 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • The incoming system would dump heavy snow from Kansas to Missouri on Tuesday and send snow and ice to North Carolina and southeastern Virginia on Wednesday, the NWS said.
    Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 17 Feb. 2025
  • Harriet Blackmore and Ronnie Vint were the last two Islanders dumped from the villa on Day 34, shutting them out of the final.
    Armando Tinoco, Deadline, 17 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • View 6 Images Unlike cats, our vision is pretty rubbish in very low light conditions.
    Paul Ridden, New Atlas, 17 Jan. 2025
  • 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
Noun
  • In Southern California, intense rainfall triggered large debris flows, making several streets impassable, including Mulholland Drive in Santa Monica and several roads in the Palisades.
    Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 15 Feb. 2025
  • Rubber toe caps are an integral part of the safety features of these shoes, while ultra-durable heel collars also promise to keep your feet in place while keeping debris out.
    Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 15 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • Officials suspect the ants were among the dirt used for ballast, which was discarded in port by ships from South America.
    Alan Clemons, Outdoor Life, 20 Feb. 2025
  • That doesn’t mean the topic was discarded; it was just nudged to the side, with league and school officials consumed with finalizing the House settlement and determining future College Football Playoff models.
    Scott Dochterman, The Athletic, 20 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • Boaters, scouts, civic organizations, environmental groups, businesses and individual volunteers are encouraged to help clean up the St. Johns River by removing trash and debris.
    Joe Rassel, Orlando Sentinel, 19 Feb. 2025
  • The city has also canceled trash and bulky items pickup for Tuesday and Wednesday ahead of the snowfall.
    Ilana Arougheti, Kansas City Star, 18 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • After Blue Ghost lands on the moon, the instruments will operate for more than two weeks to collect data primarily on the moon’s subsurface, such as lunar dust and regolith, the loose rocks and mineral fragments that cover the lunar surface.
    Taylor Nicioli, CNN, 24 Feb. 2025
  • What to watch: With the dust still settling on America's new normal, Congress soon will move to codify vast swaths of Trump's agenda.
    Zachary Basu, Axios, 20 Feb. 2025

Browse Nearby Entries

Cite this Entry

“Junk.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/junk. Accessed 1 Mar. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on junk

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!