junk
B1Informal, common in everyday speech. Used in business (e.g., junk bonds) and technical contexts (e.g., junk DNA) with specific meanings.
Definition
Meaning
Old, unwanted, or worthless items; discarded material with little or no value.
Can refer to anything of poor quality, useless information (e.g., junk mail), unhealthy food (junk food), or in computing, unwanted data (junk files). As a verb, it means to discard as worthless.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily a mass noun. Has acquired specific negative connotations in various domains (financial, nutritional, digital). The verb form is informal.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage is very similar. 'Junk food' is slightly more prevalent in American marketing. 'Junk mail' is universal.
Connotations
Equally negative in both variants.
Frequency
Equally common.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[V] junk something[V] junk something as somethingVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Junk in the trunk (slang, humorous)”
- “One man's trash is another man's treasure (related concept)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to high-risk, low-grade bonds (junk bonds). Can describe inefficient processes or assets.
Academic
Used in biology (junk DNA), computing (junk data), and critically in media studies (junk culture).
Everyday
Overwhelmingly common for unwanted household items, spam email, and unhealthy snacks.
Technical
In IT, for unnecessary files or spam; in genetics, for non-coding DNA sequences.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- We need to junk that old sofa before the council collection.
- The company decided to junk the outdated policy.
American English
- He junked his old car after it failed inspection.
- Let's junk this idea and start from scratch.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- My dad keeps old junk in the garage.
- Junk food is not good for your health.
- I finally cleared all the junk out of the spare room.
- Don't forget to delete the junk from your computer.
- The documentary explored the cultural impact of junk television.
- Investing in junk bonds carries a significant risk.
- The biologist argued that so-called 'junk DNA' may have regulatory functions we don't yet understand.
- He made a sculpture from the junk he found on the riverbank.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a JUNKyard – a place full of old, broken cars and metal scraps.
Conceptual Metaphor
WORTHLESS OBJECTS ARE JUNK / UNHEALTHY FOOD IS JUNK / USELESS INFORMATION IS JUNK.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Не путать с 'хлам' (общий мусор) и 'мусор' (бытовые отходы). 'Junk' часто подразумевает беспорядочное скопление старых, но не обязательно грязных вещей.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'junks' as a plural countable noun (incorrect: *'I have three junks to throw out'; correct: 'I have three pieces of junk').
- Overusing in formal writing where 'waste', 'debris', or 'discarded items' may be more appropriate.
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'junk' used neutrally or technically?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is informal but not rude. It's acceptable in most casual conversations.
Yes, it means to throw away or discard something as useless (e.g., 'I junked my old phone').
They are often interchangeable. 'Junk' often implies old, possibly reusable items (like in a 'junk shop'), while 'trash'/'garbage' are more general terms for waste. 'Garbage' is more common in American English.
Almost never in standard usage. 'Junk' is typically a mass noun. The plural can refer to multiple types of junk (e.g., 'different junks of metal'), but this is rare and stylistically marked.