MENIAL Synonyms: 76 Similar and Opposite Words

menial 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of menial

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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

menial

2 of 2

noun

ˈmē-nē-əl

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

The section of Girls Like Girls that follows is its most rewarding and mature, as Coley processes her separation from Sonya by sinking herself into a menial restaurant job and hanging out with her dad. — Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 26 June 2026 She’s supposed to help only with menial tasks, but often ends up helping solve mysteries that leave the police dumbfounded. — Skyler Trepel, Entertainment Weekly, 20 June 2026

Noun

Artificial intelligence has been heralded for its ability to optimize tasks, from the menial to the more complex. — Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 5 Apr. 2024 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 See All Example Sentences for menial

Recent Examples of Synonyms for menial

Adjective

Different generations will get misty-eyed over various models Schwinn produced, from the humble safety bike to the Sting-Ray, which took its design cues from American muscle cars, to sleek race bikes such as the Paramount.

— Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 19 Oct. 2026
Obeying Christ, the soon-to-be disciples got a hands-on lesson in the power of deeper, more humble prayers rather than surface-level efforts.

— The Christian Science Monitor, Christian Science Monitor, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of humble

Noun

Particularly for a character like this, who is literally a servant and has to exist in the hollows created by other people in that world — that’s a very useful tool for me as an actor.

— Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 21 Oct. 2026
Screen vet Leguizamo most recently played Eumaeus, Odysseus’ faithful servant and friend, in Christopher Nolan and Universal’s box office juggernaut The Odyssey.

— Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of servant

Adjective

Others seemed meek, with downcast eyes that refused to meet the camera.

— Anja Aronowsky Cronberg, New Yorker, 24 Oct. 2026
Moore plays Mona, a meek, thoroughly unseen wife and mother who impulsively decides to audition for a community theater musical despite having no experience.

— Glenn Whipp, Los Angeles Times, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of meek

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mends

menial

menials

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“Menial.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/menial. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of menial

adjective

noun

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