: a person doing menial work
specifically
: a domestic (see domestic entry 1 sense 4) servant or retainer (see retainer entry 1 sense 1a)
Synonyms
Examples of menial in a Sentence
Adjective
every command was obeyed in the menial manner of someone who seemed grateful just to be in the presence of a celebrity
Noun
immigrants to that country faced fierce prejudice and could expect to find work only as menials
Recent Examples on the Web
Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 7 Aug. 2024
In the past decade, voice assistants have failed to prove their value beyond aiding menial tasks like alarm setting.
—Scharon Harding, Ars Technica, 23 July 2024
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 
Adjective
Even with a fraction of the same real estate and only a single town to drop into, gameplay in Cat Quest III feels more consequential, with missions that require deeper engagement to complete that makes the game feel denser, despite having fewer menial tasks in the grand scheme.
—Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 7 Aug. 2024
In the past decade, voice assistants have failed to prove their value beyond aiding menial tasks like alarm setting.
—Scharon Harding, Ars Technica, 23 July 2024
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
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'menial.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near menial
Cite this Entry
“Menial.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/menial. Accessed 2 Oct. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
menial
1 of 2 adjective
me·nial
ˈmē-nē-əl 
-nyəl
1
: of, relating to, or suitable for servants
2
: lacking interest or dignity
a menial task
menially
adverb
-ē
menial
2 of 2 nounLove words? Need even more definitions?
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