junior

1 of 2

adjective

ju·​nior ˈjün-yər How to pronounce junior (audio)
Synonyms of juniornext
1
a
: less advanced in age : younger
—used chiefly to distinguish a son with the same given name as his father
b(1)
: youthful
(2)
: designed for young people and especially adolescents
c
: of more recent date and therefore inferior or subordinate
a junior lien
2
: of or relating to juniors or the class of juniors at an educational institution
the junior prom
3
a
: lower in standing or rank
junior partners
b
: duplicating or suggesting on a smaller scale something typically large or powerful
a junior gale

junior

2 of 2

noun

1
a(1)
: a person who is younger than another
a man six years my junior
(2)
: a male child : son
(3)
: a young person
b
: a clothing size for women and girls with slight figures
2
a
: a student in the next-to-the-last year before graduating from an educational institution
b
: a person holding a lower position in a hierarchy of ranks
3
Junior : a member of a program of the Girl Scouts for girls in the third through sixth grades in school

Synonyms of junior

Relevance

Adjective

Noun

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of junior in a Sentence

Adjective She is a junior partner in the law firm. junior advisers to the governor Noun They are my juniors in rank. She's a junior at the state college.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Adjective
Senior linebacker Boen Phelps led the run defense with six tackles and an interception, while junior defensive lineman Lopez Sanusi ended with a game-high two sacks. — Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 25 Oct. 2026 Sophomore guard/forward Dame Sarr added 15, junior center Patrick Ngongba had 13 points and seven rebounds, and sophomore guard/forward Sebastian Wilkins and freshman center Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje each scored 11. — Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 24 Oct. 2026
Noun
Duke junior forward Patrick Ngongba (28 points, 10 rebounds) and senior guard John Blackwell (23 points) starred for the visitors, while freshman Tyran Stokes dazzled for KU with 27 points, eight rebounds and seven assists in 37 minutes. — Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 25 Oct. 2026 The junior entered the weekend ranked sixth in the nation for rushing yards and now stands at 963 for the season, which will move him at least into the top five. — Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 25 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for junior

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English, from Latin, comparative of juvenis young — more at young

Noun

Latin, noun & adjective

First Known Use

Adjective

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1526, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Time Traveler
The first known use of junior was in the 13th century

Phrases Containing junior

Browse Nearby Words

juning
junior
juniorate
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Junior.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/junior. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

junior

1 of 2 adjective
ju·​nior ˈjün-yər How to pronounce junior (audio)
1
a
: being the younger one
—used chiefly to distinguish a son with the same given name as his father
b
: designed for young teenagers
2
: lower in standing or rank
junior partner
3
: of or relating to juniors in a school

junior

2 of 2 noun
1
: a person who is younger or of lower rank than another
2
: a student in the next-to-last year in a high school, college, or university

Legal Definition

junior

adjective
ju·​nior ˈjü-nyər How to pronounce junior (audio)
: of lower standing or rank
a junior lienholder
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