food that is low in nutritional value, often highly processed or ready-prepared, and eaten instead of or in addition to well-balanced meals
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025
ˈjunk ˌfood, n.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025- food, as potato chips or candy, that is high in calories but of little nutritional value: [uncountable]feasting on junk food.[countable]ate junk foods instead of fruits and vegetables.
junk′ food′,
- food, as potato chips or candy, that is high in calories but of little nutritional value.
- anything that is attractive and diverting but of negligible substance:the junk food offered by daytime television.
- 1970–75, American.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
'junk food' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):