1
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
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
capitalized
: a member of a program of the Girl Scouts for girls in the third through sixth grades in school
Synonyms
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
John Maffei, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Jan. 2025
That rule has been lifted, resulting in a shift of junior talent across North America.
—Scott Soshnick, Sportico.com, 23 Jan. 2025
Rick Armstrong, Chicago Tribune, 25 Jan. 2025
Penn, who served as a team captain for Carroll as a junior, has tallied 2,740 all-purpose yards and 50 touchdowns in his high school career.
—Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for junior 
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Adjective
Newbury Park junior quarterback Brady Smigiel was named Cal-Hi’s Mr. Football.
—John Maffei, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Jan. 2025
That rule has been lifted, resulting in a shift of junior talent across North America.
—Scott Soshnick, Sportico.com, 23 Jan. 2025
Noun
Payne also had a couple weeks off as a junior because doctors went back in and removed several screws from the original surgery that gave him discomfort.
—Rick Armstrong, Chicago Tribune, 25 Jan. 2025
Penn, who served as a team captain for Carroll as a junior, has tallied 2,740 all-purpose yards and 50 touchdowns in his high school career.
—Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for junior
Articles Related to junior
Dictionary Entries Near junior
Cite this Entry
“Junior.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/junior. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
junior
1 of 2 adjective
ju·nior
ˈjün-yər 
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 noun1
: 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
: of lower standing or rank
a junior lienholder
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