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Definition of menialnext
as in humble
showing, expressing, or offered in a spirit of humility or unseemly submissiveness every command was obeyed in the menial manner of someone who seemed grateful just to be in the presence of a celebrity

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of menial
Adjective
The section of Girls Like Girls that follows is its most rewarding and mature, as Coley processes her separation from Sonya by sinking herself into a menial restaurant job and hanging out with her dad. — Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 26 June 2026 She’s supposed to help only with menial tasks, but often ends up helping solve mysteries that leave the police dumbfounded. — Skyler Trepel, Entertainment Weekly, 20 June 2026
Noun
Artificial intelligence has been heralded for its ability to optimize tasks, from the menial to the more complex. — Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 5 Apr. 2024 Outside the windowless offices, the anthropocene was over—somehow these hapless menials had missed its bang or its whimper—and the pre-human food chain was busy reasserting itself. — Sara Holdren, Vulture, 5 Nov. 2023 See All Example Sentences for menial
Recent Examples of Synonyms for menial
Adjective
  • The 23-year-old Texas product, whom the Packers took in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft, caught six passes from quarterback Jordan Love for a career-high 123 yards, including a 50-yard snag to help Green Bay humble the Bears.
    — Scott Thompson OutKick, FOXNews.com, 13 Oct. 2026
  • The humble price tag has long served as a common measure of value for consumers.
    — Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 13 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Banks paid millions of dollars by today’s standards to bring along a botanist, artists, servants, his greyhound and scientific equipment.
    — Saar Shahar, The Conversation, 12 Oct. 2026
  • The remains of these servants, or retainers, were first excavated from the funerary complexes at Abydos, eastern Egypt, which date from around 3000 BC, in the 1920s.
    — Jack Guy, CNN Money, 7 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • Both appeared on stage in character as VP Selina Meyer and her servile assistant, Gary Walsh.
    — Brianna Zigler, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Unfortunately, Trump takes servile flattery as his due.
    — Robert Kagan, The Atlantic, 19 June 2026
Adjective
  • Moore plays Mona, a meek, thoroughly unseen wife and mother who impulsively decides to audition for a community theater musical despite having no experience.
    — Glenn Whipp, Los Angeles Times, 12 Oct. 2026
  • The visitors were meek and the poorest performers of the four opponents, but how much of that is down to the way Leeds played?
    — Beren Cross, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Menial.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/menial. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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