Thesaurus.com
Dictionary.com
Definitions

junky

[juhng-kee] / ˈdʒʌŋ ki /
ADJECTIVE
bad
Synonyms
STRONGEST
awful cheap dreadful inferior lousy poor terrible
STRONG
abominable abysmal atrocious careless defective deficient dissatisfactory erroneous faulty imperfect mediocre second-rate shoddy substandard unacceptable unsatisfactory
WEAK
cheesy crappy cruddy crummy godawful half-assed inadequate poxy sad slipshod tacky
Antonyms
STRONGEST
OK good great high-quality pleasing superior well-made wonderful
ADJECTIVE
cheap
Synonyms
STRONGEST
bad poor
WEAK
base bogus catchpenny cheesy common commonplace crappy cruddy dud flashy garbage garish glitzy lousy mangy mean mediocre meretricious no bargain no good ordinary paltry ratty raunchy rinky-dink rotten rubbishy scroungy second-rate shoddy sleazy small-time tatty tawdry terrible trashy trumpery two-bit valueless white elephant worthless
Antonyms
WEAK
excellent noble precious priceless sophisticated superior valuable
ADJECTIVE
crappy
Synonyms
WEAK
cheap inferior lousy shoddy sub-par trashy useless worthless
ADJECTIVE
dissatisfactory
Synonyms
WEAK
bad damaged deficient disappointing displeasing distressing inadequate insufficient lame mediocre no good not satisfying not up to par offensive poor rotten unacceptable unsatisfying unsuitable unworthy useless
ADJECTIVE
jerry-built
Synonyms
WEAK
cheap defective insubstantial jerry-rigged makeshift ramshackle rickety shoddy slipshod unsound unsubstantial
ADJECTIVE
schlocky
Synonyms
WEAK
base broken-down cheap cheesy common dilapidated dingy discreditable disgraceful dishonorable disreputable gaudy ignominious inferior inglorious lousy makeshift mean miserable not up to snuff paltry plastic poor pretentious rotten run down scruffy second-rate seedy shabby shady shameful sleazy slipshod tacky tawdry trashy unrespectable
ADJECTIVE
shoddy
Synonyms
STRONGEST
inferior run down shabby shameful
STRONG
base common gaudy makeshift mean plastic poor sad
WEAK
broken-down cheap cheesy dilapidated dingy discreditable disgraceful dishonorable disreputable ignominious inglorious not up to snuff paltry pretentious scruffy second-rate seedy shady sleazy slipshod tacky tawdry trashy unrespectable
Antonyms
STRONGEST
good respectable
STRONG
noble refined sophisticated superior
WEAK
fine nice
ADJECTIVE
slipshod
Synonyms
WEAK
bedraggled botched disheveled faulty fly-by-night fouled-up haphazard imperfect inaccurate inexact loose messed-up messy neglected negligent raunchy screwed-up scrubby scruffy shabby shoddy slapdash sloppy slovenly tacky tattered threadbare unkempt unmeticulous unsystematic unthorough untidy
Antonyms
WEAK
careful neat polished refined well-done
ADJECTIVE
tawdry
Synonyms
STRONGEST
sleazy tacky vulgar
WEAK
blatant brazen chintzy common crude dirty flaring flashy flaunting garish gaudy gimcrack glaring glittering glitzy jazzy loud meretricious obtrusive offensive plastic poor raffish screaming showy sporty tinsel
Antonyms
STRONGEST
nice
WEAK
sophisticated tasteful
ADJECTIVE
trashy
Synonyms
STRONGEST
crummy sleazy tawdry
WEAK
abandoned barren bogus cheap cheesy crappy cruddy despicable empty flimsy garbage good-for-nothing grungy inferior lousy low in quality no-good ratty raunchy shabby shoddy useless valueless
Antonyms
STRONGEST
nice
ADJECTIVE
two-bit
Synonyms
WEAK
base catchpenny cheesy crappy cruddy garbage gaudy inferior lousy no good piddling poor ratty rinky-dink second-rate shoddy sleazy small-time tatty trashy valueless worthless
ADJECTIVE
unsatisfactory
Synonyms
STRONGEST
deficient disappointing distressing mediocre regrettable unacceptable unsuitable
WEAK
amiss bad damaged disconcerting displeasing disquieting disturbing for the birds lame no good not good enough not up to par offensive poor rotten sad schlocky second thin undesirable unwelcome unworthy upsetting vexing weak wrong
Antonyms
STRONGEST
satisfactory suitable
WEAK
OK acceptable adequate sufficient

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Through October, the junky small-company category rallied by 256% versus just 29% for those with quality characteristics.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 19, 2026

It included absurd videos, off-kilter advertising images, cheesy propaganda, fake news that looks pretty real, junky AI-written books, “workslop” reports that waste coworkers’ time — and lots of talking cats.

From Salon • Jan. 13, 2026

Even the artificial-intelligence trade, which has been producing profits, may be more junky than it seems.

From Barron's • Oct. 23, 2025

Of course, we can try once again to make the arguments about why this test should not be used and how junky the science behind it is.

From Slate • Aug. 22, 2025

He couldn’t even get a bunch of junky old jars to a pawn shop without ruining them.

From "A Tangle of Knots" by Lisa Graff

From Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.