junk food

American  

noun

1. food, as potato chips or candy, that is high in calories but of little nutritional value.

2. anything that is attractive and diverting but of negligible substance.

   the junk food offered by daytime television.

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junk food British  

noun

1. food that is low in nutritional value, often highly processed or ready-prepared, and eaten instead of or in addition to well-balanced meals

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junk food Idioms  

1. Prepackaged snack food that is high in calories but low in nutritional value; also, anything attractive but negligible in value. For example, Nell loves potato chips and other junk food, or When I'm sick in bed I often resort to TV soap operas and similar junk food. [c. 1970]

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Other Word Forms

• junk-food adjective

Etymology

Origin of junk food

An Americanism dating back to 1970–75

Example Sentences

Most ultraprocessed foods would be considered junk food and are high in added sugars, saturated fat and sodium.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 17, 2026

"By restricting adverts for junk food before 9pm and banning paid adverts online, we can remove excessive exposure to unhealthy foods," health minister Ashley Dalton said in a statement.

From Barron's • Jan. 5, 2026

"My mom explained to me that social media is junk food for the brain," she says.

From BBC • Dec. 10, 2025

The meals inside, she said, were mostly junk food.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 3, 2025

I always thought hospital people would be real health nuts, but these guys eat junk food like it’s going out of style.

From "Speak" by Laurie Halse Anderson