Junk vs. Stuff: What's the Difference?
By Harlon Moss || Updated on May 29, 2024
Junk refers to items that are considered useless or of little value, while stuff is a general term for various items without implying worth or usefulness.
Key Differences
Junk denotes items that are generally considered worthless or of little value. People often refer to broken or obsolete objects as junk, indicating they have no practical use. On the other hand, stuff is a more neutral term that can describe any collection of items without specifying their value or utility.
Junk is often associated with clutter and things that need to be discarded. When someone says they need to clear out the junk in their garage, they imply getting rid of things that are no longer needed. Conversely, stuff can include a mix of valuable and non-valuable items. For example, someone might refer to their belongings as "my stuff," which could range from treasured possessions to everyday objects.
Junk typically has a negative connotation, suggesting something that should be disposed of. Items labeled as junk are usually seen as a nuisance or unnecessary. In contrast, stuff carries a more neutral or even positive connotation, as it simply refers to a collection of things without an inherent judgment on their worth.
Junk often leads to images of trash and debris, emphasizing its unwanted nature. Meanwhile, stuff is more versatile, applicable in various contexts without suggesting a need for disposal. For instance, when packing for a trip, someone might say, "I need to pack my stuff," encompassing all necessary items for the journey.
Comparison Chart
Value Implication
Useless or of little value
Neutral, no value implication
ADVERTISEMENT
Connotation
Negative
Neutral or positive
Usage Context
Clutter, trash, obsolete items
General items, possessions
Need for Disposal
Often implied
Not necessarily implied
Examples
Broken electronics, old furniture
Personal belongings, travel items
Junk and Stuff Definitions
Junk
Useless or discarded objects.
The basement is full of old junk that needs to be thrown away.
ADVERTISEMENT
Stuff
Personal belongings or possessions.
He left his stuff in the office.
Junk
Items of little value.
She decided to get rid of the junk cluttering her attic.
Stuff
Miscellaneous things in general.
The box was full of random stuff.
Junk
Something considered trash or debris.
The yard sale had a lot of junk no one wanted.
Stuff
Items without specifying value.
The drawer contained a lot of useful stuff.
Junk
Discarded material, such as glass, rags, paper, or metal, some of which may be reused in some form.
Stuff
General term for a collection of objects.
They moved all their stuff to the new apartment.
Junk
Articles that are worn-out or fit to be discarded
Broken furniture and other junk in the attic.
Stuff
The material out of which something is made or formed; substance.
Junk
Cheap or shoddy material.
Stuff
The essential substance or elements; essence
"We are such stuff / As dreams are made on" (Shakespeare).
Junk
Something meaningless, fatuous, or unbelievable
Nothing but junk in the annual report.
Stuff
Unspecified material
Put that stuff over there.
Junk
The genitals.
Stuff
Household or personal articles considered as a group.
Junk
The buttocks.
Stuff
Worthless objects.
Junk
(Slang) Heroin.
Stuff
(Slang) Specific talk or actions
Don't give me that stuff about being tired.
Junk
Hard salt beef for consumption on board a ship.
Stuff
The control a player has over a ball, especially to give it spin, english, curve, or speed.
Junk
A traditional Chinese sailing vessel having a high poop and usually two or more masts bearing battened lugsails.
Stuff
The spin, english, curve, or speed imparted to a ball
"where we could watch the stuff, mainly curves, that the pitchers were putting on the ball" (James Henry Gray).
Junk
To discard as useless or sell to be reused as parts; scrap.
Stuff
(Basketball) A dunk shot.
Junk
Cheap, shoddy, or worthless
Junk jewelry.
Stuff
Special capability
The team really showed its stuff and won the championship.
Junk
Having a superficial appeal or utility, but lacking substance
"the junk issues that have dominated this year's election" (New Republic).
Stuff
Chiefly British Woven material, especially woolens.
Junk
Relating to or similar to junk bonds, especially in having a high risk of default
Debt of junk status.
Stuff
(Slang) Money; cash.
Junk
Discarded or waste material; rubbish, trash, garbage.
Stuff
(Slang) A drug, especially one that is illegal or habit-forming.
Junk
A collection of miscellaneous items of little value.
Stuff
To pack (a container) tightly; cram
Stuff a Christmas stocking.
Junk
(slang) Any narcotic drug, especially heroin.
Stuff
To block (a passage); plug
Stuff a crack with caulking.
Junk
(slang) The genitalia, especially of a male.
Stuff
(Basketball) To block (a shot or an opponent who is shooting), especially before the ball leaves the shooter's hands.
Junk
(nautical) salt beef.
Stuff
To place forcefully into a container or space; thrust
Stuffed laundry into the bag.
Junk
Pieces of old cable or cordage, used for making gaskets, mats, swabs, etc., and when picked to pieces, forming oakum for filling the seams of ships.
Stuff
(Sports) To shoot (a ball or puck) forcefully into the goal from close range.
Junk
(dated) A fragment of any solid substance; a thick piece; a chunk.
Stuff
(Basketball) To dunk (the ball).
Junk
(attributive) Material or resources of a kind lacking commercial value.
Junk fish
Junk trees
Stuff
To fill with an appropriate stuffing
Stuff a pillow.
Junk
; gibberish.
The student put down junk for answers just to finish his homework more quickly.
Stuff
To fill (an animal skin) to restore its natural form for mounting or display.
Junk
(nautical) A Chinese sailing vessel.
Stuff
To cram with food.
Junk
To throw away.
Stuff
To fill (the mind)
His head is stuffed with silly notions.
Junk
To find something for very little money (meaning derived from the term junkshop)
(On Facebook, a record collector wrote:) "The newest addition to my Annette Hanshaw collection, I junked this beautiful flawless E-copy within walking distance from my house."
Stuff
To put fraudulent votes into (a ballot box).
Junk
A fragment of any solid substance; a thick piece. See Chunk.
Stuff
To apply a preservative and softening agent to (leather).
Junk
Pieces of old cable or old cordage, used for making gaskets, mats, swabs, etc., and when picked to pieces, forming oakum for filling the seams of ships.
Stuff
To overeat; gorge.
Junk
Old iron, or other metal, glass, paper, etc., bought and sold by junk dealers.
Stuff
(informal) Miscellaneous items or objects; (with possessive) personal effects.
What is all that stuff on your bedroom floor?
He didn't want his pockets to bulge so he was walking around with all his stuff in his hands.
Junk
Something worthless, or only worth its value as recyclable scrap.
Stuff
Furniture; goods; domestic vessels or utensils.
Junk
Hard salted beef supplied to ships.
Stuff
(informal) Unspecified things or matters.
I had to do some stuff.
Junk
A large vessel, without keel or prominent stem, and with huge masts in one piece, used by the Chinese, Japanese, Siamese, Malays, etc., in navigating their waters.
Stuff
The tangible substance that goes into the makeup of a physical object.
Junk
The remains of something that has been destroyed or broken up
Stuff
(archaic) A material for making clothing; any woven textile, but especially a woollen fabric.
Junk
Any of various Chinese boats with a high poop and lugsails
Stuff
(archaic) Boards used for building.
Junk
Dispose of (something useless or old);
Trash these old chairs
Junk an old car
Scrap your old computer
Stuff
Abstract/figurative substance or character.
Junk
Objects that are no longer useful.
He sorted through the junk in the garage.
Stuff
Paper stock ground ready for use. When partly ground, it is called half stuff.
Junk
Broken or obsolete items.
The old computer was just junk after it stopped working.
Stuff
(informal) Used as placeholder, usually for material of unknown type or name.
Can I have some of that stuff on my ice-cream sundae?
Stuff
(slang) Narcotic drugs, especially heroin.
Stuff
(obsolete) A medicine or mixture; a potion.
Stuff
Refuse or worthless matter; hence, also, foolish or irrational language.
Don't give me any of that 'what-about' stuff!
Stuff
(nautical) A melted mass of turpentine, tallow, etc., with which the masts, sides, and bottom of a ship are smeared for lubrication.
Stuff
Money.
Stuff
(transitive) To fill by packing or crowding something into; to cram with something; to load to excess.
I'm going to stuff this pillow with feathers.
Stuff
(transitive) To fill a space with (something) in a compressed manner.
He stuffed his clothes into the closet and shut the door.
Stuff
To fill with seasoning.
She stuffed the turkey for Thanksgiving using her secret recipe.
Stuff
(transitive) To load goods into (a container) for transport.
Stuff
To sate.
I’m stuffed after having eaten all that turkey, mashed potatoes and delicious stuffing.
Stuff
(pronominal) To eat, especially in a hearty or greedy manner.
She sits on the sofa all day, watching TV and stuffing herself with cream buns.
Stuff
To break; to destroy.
He skidded off the road and totally stuffed his brand new car.
Stuff
To sexually penetrate.
His wife came home early and found him on the couch stuffing the maid.
Stuff
Used to contemptuously dismiss or reject something. See also stuff it.
Stuff your stupid rules, I'll do what I like.
Stuff
(informal) To heavily defeat or get the better of.
Mudchester Rovers were stuffed 7-0 in the semi-final.
They totally stuffed us in that business deal.
Stuff
(transitive) To cut off another competitor in a race by disturbing his projected and committed racing line (trajectory) by an abrupt manoeuvre.
I got stuffed by that guy on the supermoto going into that turn, almost causing us to crash.
Stuff
To preserve a dead bird or other animal by filling its skin.
Stuff
(transitive) To obstruct, as any of the organs; to affect with some obstruction in the organs of sense or respiration.
Stuff
(transitive) To form or fashion by packing with the necessary material.
Stuff
To crowd with facts; to cram the mind of; sometimes, to crowd or fill with false or idle tales or fancies.
Stuff
To compress (a file or files) in the StuffIt format, to be unstuffed later.
Stuff
Material which is to be worked up in any process of manufacture.
For the stuff they had was sufficient for all the work to make it, and too much.
Ambitions should be made of sterner stuff.
The workman on his stuff his skill doth show,And yet the stuff gives not the man his skill.
Stuff
The fundamental material of which anything is made up; elemental part; essence.
Yet do I hold it very stuff o' the conscienceTo do no contrived murder.
Stuff
Woven material not made into garments; fabric of any kind; specifically, any one of various fabrics of wool or worsted; sometimes, worsted fiber.
What stuff wilt have a kirtle of?
It [the arras] was of stuff and silk mixed, though, superior kinds were of silk exclusively.
Stuff
Furniture; goods; domestic vessels or utensils.
He took away locks, and gave away the king's stuff.
Stuff
A medicine or mixture; a potion.
Stuff
Refuse or worthless matter; hence, also, foolish or irrational language; nonsense; trash.
Anger would inditeSuch woeful stuff as I or Shadwell write.
Stuff
A melted mass of turpentine, tallow, etc., with which the masts, sides, and bottom of a ship are smeared for lubrication.
Stuff
Paper stock ground ready for use.
Stuff
To fill by crowding something into; to cram with something; to load to excess; as, to stuff a bedtick.
Sometimes this crook drew hazel bought adown,And stuffed her apron wide with nuts so brown.
Lest the gods, for sin,Should with a swelling dropsy stuff thy skin.
Stuff
To thrust or crowd; to press; to pack.
Put roses into a glass with a narrow mouth, stuffing them close together . . . and they retain smell and color.
Stuff
To fill by being pressed or packed into.
With inward arms the dire machine they load,And iron bowels stuff the dark abode.
Stuff
To fill with a seasoning composition of bread, meat, condiments, etc.; as, to stuff a turkey.
Stuff
To obstruct, as any of the organs; to affect with some obstruction in the organs of sense or respiration.
I'm stuffed, cousin; I can not smell.
Stuff
To fill the skin of, for the purpose of preserving as a specimen; - said of birds or other animals.
Stuff
To form or fashion by packing with the necessary material.
An Eastern king put a judge to death for an iniquitous sentence, and ordered his hide to be stuffed into a cushion, and placed upon the tribunal.
Stuff
To crowd with facts; to cram the mind of; sometimes, to crowd or fill with false or idle tales or fancies.
Stuff
To put fraudulent votes into (a ballot box).
Stuff
To feed gluttonously; to cram.
Taught harmless man to cram and stuff.
Stuff
The tangible substance that goes into the makeup of a physical object;
Coal is a hard black material
Wheat is the stuff they use to make bread
Stuff
Miscellaneous unspecified objects;
The trunk was full of stuff
Stuff
Informal terms for personal possessions;
Did you take all your clobber?
Stuff
Senseless talk;
Don't give me that stuff
Stuff
Unspecified qualities required to do or be something;
The stuff of heros
You don't have the stuff to be a United States Marine
Stuff
Information in some unspecified form;
It was stuff I had heard before
There's good stuff in that book
Stuff
A critically important or characteristic component;
Suspense is the very stuff of narrative
Stuff
Fill completely;
The child stuffed his pockets with candy
Stuff
Press or force;
Stuff money into an envelope
She thrust the letter into his hand
Stuff
Obstruct;
My nose is all stuffed
Her arteries are blocked
Stuff
Overeat or eat immodestly; make a pig of oneself;
She stuffed herself at the dinner
The kids binged on icecream
Stuff
Treat with grease, fill, and prepare for mounting;
Stuff a bearskin
Stuff
Fill tightly with a material;
Stuff a pillow with feathers
The old lady wants to have her dead poodle stuffed by the taxidermist
Stuff
Fill with a stuffing while cooking;
Have you stuffed the turkey yet?
Stuff
Various unspecified items or materials.
She packed all her stuff for the weekend trip.
FAQs
What does junk mean?
Junk refers to items that are considered useless or of little value.
Can stuff be valuable?
Yes, stuff can include both valuable and non-valuable items.
What does stuff mean?
Stuff is a general term for various items without implying worth or usefulness.
Is junk always worthless?
Junk typically implies that items are of little value or usefulness.
Does stuff have a specific meaning?
Stuff is a broad term for any collection of items without specific value judgment.
How is junk different from trash?
Junk can be old or obsolete items, while trash is waste intended for disposal.
Is it common to call valuable items junk?
No, valuable items are usually not referred to as junk.
Why does junk have a negative connotation?
Junk is often associated with things that are no longer useful or needed.
Can stuff include junk?
Yes, stuff can include junk among other items.
Is stuff always physical objects?
Yes, stuff typically refers to physical objects.
Can junk have sentimental value?
Occasionally, but it’s rare since junk is usually seen as having little value.
What might be considered junk?
Broken appliances, old furniture, and obsolete electronics are often considered junk.
What does it mean to stuff something?
To fill something tightly with objects or material.
What are examples of stuff?
Clothes, books, tools, and personal belongings are examples of stuff.
Can junk be recycled?
Some junk can be recycled if it contains recyclable materials.
Is it bad to have a lot of stuff?
It depends; having a lot of stuff can be fine if it’s organized and useful.
What is a junkyard?
A place where junk, especially old cars, is collected and stored.
Can stuff be digital?
Informally, yes, but usually stuff refers to physical items.
Can you get rid of stuff?
Yes, people often declutter by getting rid of unnecessary stuff.
How can you deal with junk?
By sorting, recycling, donating, or disposing of it properly.
About Author
Written by
Harlon MossHarlon is a seasoned quality moderator and accomplished content writer for Difference Wiki. An alumnus of the prestigious University of California, he earned his degree in Computer Science. Leveraging his academic background, Harlon brings a meticulous and informed perspective to his work, ensuring content accuracy and excellence.
