janitor

noun

ˈja-nə-tər How to pronounce janitor (audio)
Definition of janitornext
1
as in custodian
a person who takes care of a property sometimes for an absent owner got a job as the night janitor at the elementary school

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in porter
a person who tends a door according to popular Christian tradition, St. Peter acts as janitor at heaven's pearly gates

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 janitor Tim, who was born in 1950, held various jobs over the years, including janitor and auto mechanic. — Hannah Malach, InStyle, 8 Sep. 2026 That year, Klum went out with a bang, winning the competition with her Golden Buzzer act, singing janitor Richard Goodall. — Joelle Goldstein, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2026 The 1,000-student liberal arts school — which boasts a statue of US President James Garfield, who worked as a janitor there to pay his tuition — eventually pulled more than $47 million from the fund. — Bloomberg, Fortune, 31 Aug. 2026 California is set to launch such a database by next summer for school support staff, such as bus drivers and janitors, with substantiated claims of egregious misconduct. — Holly McDede, ProPublica, 31 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for janitor
Recent Examples of Synonyms for janitor
  1. custodian
  2. porter
  3. keeper
  4. warden
  5. caretaker
Noun
  • The suspect, a 15-year-old former student, attacked the school's principal, a custodian and a teacher with a sharp object.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Undeath have signed with those custodians of heavy music over at Relapse and debuted a new song for the label.
    — Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of custodian
Noun
  • The backstory This hotel was originally built in 1902 for the North British Railway company; porters would take guests from their trains to an elevator that led straight to reception.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Wholesale is up 20 percent with partners including Moda Operandi, Fwrd, Shopbop and Nordstrom, and the brand will be launching on Net-a-porter in October.
    — Emily Mercer, Footwear News, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of porter
Noun
  • That drive started with a Mariota keeper around the left end that went for 35 yards.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 4 Oct. 2026
  • The Crisis Manager This is the keeper of all things calm, the soothing presence when things get a bit too much.
    — Olivia Morelli, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of keeper
Noun
  • Hosfelt was among nine staff members, including the former warden, arrested in June 2024 and charged with felonies in connection with deaths at the prison.
    — Kelli Arseneau, jsonline.com, 21 Sep. 2026
  • Luckily — or maybe unluckily — the camp’s warden, a hardbitten guy with an oily smile named Clancy (Russell Crowe, hardbitten, smiley, and oily), takes a liking to Murphy.
    — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of warden
Noun
  • Absentee voting is available to the elderly, disabled people and their caretakers, and others.
    — Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Hathaway told The Hollywood Reporter at the Verity New York premiere on Tuesday night (Dvorovenko portrays Verity’s caretaker, Anna).
    — Michaela Zee, HollywoodReporter, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of caretaker

Browse Nearby Words

jangly
janitor
janitors
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Cite this Entry

“Janitor.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/janitor. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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