noun

junk

juhngk

noun

Old or unwanted items regarded as clutter or of little value.

"The garage is full of junk we should have thrown out years ago."

"She sold her old junk at a yard sale."

Food that is unhealthy but appealing, typically high in fat, sugar, or salt.

"He's been eating too much junk food since he moved out."

verb

To throw something away as worthless.

"They junked the old computer instead of repairing it."

How to Use Junk

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishStuff that's cluttered, worthless, or unhealthy — or, as a verb, to throw something out.

Common pairings

junk food junk mail junk drawer

junked past tense, junks plural, junks plural, Junks plural, junks singular

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Can you complete this real example?

The garage is full of _____ we should have thrown out years ago.

Originally a sailor's word for old bits of rope and cable salvaged for reuse; the meaning later widened to any discarded, low-value stuff.

86 can cast aside cast off cast away get rid of jettison pitch shift throw aside

abandon can buy bathroom toilet tout throw pitch

bunk funk punk dunk gunk hunk Munk drunk skunk trunk chunk spunk

86 can cast aside cast off cast away get rid of jettison pitch shift throw aside abandon buy