Synonyms

junior varsity

American

noun

Sports.

a university, college, or school team that consists of players who lack the qualifications or skill necessary for the varsity and compete against other teams of similar composition or ability.

Etymology

Origin of junior varsity

First recorded in 1945–50

Compare meaning

How does junior-varsity compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

varsity vs. junior varsity

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The priority is getting on scouts’ radar as quickly as possible—and a season or two on junior varsity is unacceptable.

From The Wall Street Journal

Cayman Martin, Crespi: He played junior varsity last season as a sophomore after moving from Japan and has been a revelation with each game.

From Los Angeles Times

He was a junior varsity player focused on basketball.

From Los Angeles Times

Even though Centennial had only six players available much of the season for varsity action, Cole created a junior varsity team, so help is on the way if the team gets a playoff spot.

From Los Angeles Times

Not bad for someone who played on the junior varsity team as a freshman at St. Bernard.

From Los Angeles Times

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023