menial

[mee-nee-uhl, meen-yuhl] / ˈmi ni əl, ˈmin yəl /

ADJECTIVE

lowly, low-status

Synonyms

STRONG

base boring common humdrum low mean routine

WEAK

abject baseborn degrading demeaning dull fawning grovelling humble ignoble ignominious obeisant obsequious servile slavish sorry subservient sycophantic unskilled vile

Antonyms

STRONG

exciting high honest moral noble unusual

WEAK

elevated skilled superior talented

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.

Rasheed took on menial jobs to survive like washing clothes for inmates in exchange for a bit of cash or food.

From BBC • Apr. 22, 2026

While robots may be able to take over menial tasks, humans will be needed to supervise and repair complex fleets.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 12, 2026

In the mid-2000s, Graham Walker and his brother began running Fibrebond, after doing menial jobs and later taking on more senior roles at the company.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 25, 2025

Luke has been waiting 65 years, doing menial work as a bartender in the Junction, hoping to be reunited with his love.

From Salon • Nov. 27, 2025

Prior to that, he had worked selflessly behind the scenes at PIH, sometimes doing critically important things, sometimes the menial stuff.

From "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder and Michael French

Vocabulary lists containing menial

The Handmaid's Tale

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Their Eyes Were Watching God

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Born a Crime

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