menial 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of menialnext
as in humble
showing, expressing, or offered in a spirit of humility or unseemly submissiveness every command was obeyed in the menial manner of someone who seemed grateful just to be in the presence of a celebrity

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menial

2 of 2

noun

ˈmē-nē-əl How to pronounce menial (audio)
as in servant
a person hired to perform household or personal services immigrants to that country faced fierce prejudice and could expect to find work only as menials

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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 menial
Adjective
As the debate over AI’s role in the workplace rages on, some experts warn that eliminating menial tasks with AI could come with a hidden cost to productivity. — Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 11 Apr. 2026 The novel’s protagonist, Ro, is an isolated Korean-American woman working a menial job at an aquarium. — Tessa Yang, PEOPLE, 2 June 2026
Noun
Outside the windowless offices, the anthropocene was over—somehow these hapless menials had missed its bang or its whimper—and the pre-human food chain was busy reasserting itself. — Sara Holdren, Vulture, 5 Nov. 2023 Artificial intelligence has been heralded for its ability to optimize tasks, from the menial to the more complex. — Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 5 Apr. 2024 See All Example Sentences for menial
Recent Examples of Synonyms for menial
  1. humble
  2. servant
  3. servile
  4. meek
Adjective
  • Teoscar Hernández was back from a hamstring injury, and a little bit humble.
    — Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, 30 June 2026
  • America's favorite investment has changed over time In 2008, as the Great Recession descended, Americans picked the humble savings account (and the certificate of deposit) as their favorite long-term investment in Gallup polls.
    — Daniel de Visé, USA Today, 30 June 2026
Definition of humble
Noun
  • Hemings was brought to Paris from 1787 to 1789 to work as a servant and maid for Jefferson's household.
    — Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 30 June 2026
  • Suddenly, the servant saw that the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around them – representing spiritual forces of divine protection.
    — Liesl Ehmke, Christian Science Monitor, 29 June 2026
Definition of servant
Adjective
  • Unfortunately, Trump takes servile flattery as his due.
    — Robert Kagan, The Atlantic, 19 June 2026
  • Of course, all of this convenient acquiescence will sound familiar in the United States, where our own Congress and Department of Justice have been nothing if not servile to a brazenly corrupt executive.
    — Daniel Alarcón, New Yorker, 4 June 2026
Definition of servile
Adjective
  • Contrasting her with the meek, mysterious, and passive Anthy, the series examines the constrictions both men and women face via traditional gender roles, with an eye towards gender fluidity that remains radical today.
    — Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 12 June 2026
  • The series centers on Cha Myung-jo, a meek worker at a company producing imitation character stickers who, despite nominally heading his household, lives in the shadow of his far more capable wife.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 8 June 2026
Definition of meek

Browse Nearby Words

mends
menial
menials
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Cite this Entry

“Menial.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/menial. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on menial

Nglish: Translation of menial for Spanish Speakers

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