junk

The word “junk” means old or unwanted items regarded as clutter or of little value. In plain terms, stuff that's cluttered, worthless, or unhealthy — or, as a verb, to throw something out.

“Junk” is pronounced juhngk (/d͡ʒʌŋk/ in IPA).

Here is “junk” used in a sentence: “The garage is full of junk we should have thrown out years ago.”

Words with a similar meaning to “junk” include 86, can, cast aside, cast off, cast away and get rid of.

Depending on how it is used, “junk” can be a noun and a verb.

“Junk” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.

“Junk” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: old or unwanted items regarded as clutter or of little value.

Trash — or rubbish in British English — is what you have actually thrown away or intend to bin, while junk is old or unwanted stuff you are still keeping even though it has little value, like the contents of a garage or a junk drawer. Junk becomes trash once you finally throw it out.

Junk food treats such food as the dietary equivalent of junk: appealing but of little real value. The label covers foods that are unhealthy but tempting, typically high in fat, sugar, or salt, such as crisps, sweets, and much fast food.

Clutter is about arrangement — things lying about untidily, whatever their value — while junk is about worth: old or unwanted items of little value. A tidy shelf can still hold junk, and valuable possessions can still create clutter.