punk 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of punknext
1
as in unacceptable
falling short of a standard she plays a punk game of tennis, so you won't have any trouble beating her

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Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in terrible
extremely unsatisfactory the acting in the movie ranged all the way from poor to punk

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in sick
temporarily suffering from a disorder of the body I've been feeling punk today

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

punk

2 of 2

noun

ˈpəŋk How to pronounce punk (audio)
1
as in novice
a person who is just starting out in a field of activity an impertinent punk who was trying to tell senior colleagues how to do their jobs

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in thug
a violent, brutal person who is often a member of an organized gang the vigilante was hailed by some as a hero for standing up to the punks who had repeatedly threatened his family

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in garbage
language, behavior, or ideas that are absurd and contrary to good sense claims made by cosmetic companies about their antiaging creams that turned out to be a lot of punk

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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 punk
Adjective
Many of us coming out of punk [were] into that kind of new wave post-punk period. — David Chiu, Forbes.com, 28 May 2026 In a way, the first group of new wave bands that got labelled punk, maybe one out of five were actually punk. — Peter Larsen, Daily News, 27 May 2026
Noun
That punk instinct never crowded out Araki’s tenderness toward the material, and Corbet clearly shares the director’s view. — Joshua Encinias, IndieWire, 10 Aug. 2026 The site aspired to bring an insurgent, punk ethos to the political world. — Ben Paviour, Sacbee.com, 10 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for punk
Recent Examples of Synonyms for punk
  1. unacceptable
  2. terrible
  3. sick
  4. novice
  5. thug
  6. garbage
  7. wrong
  8. horrible
Adjective
  • Still, only 28% of readers said that AI use is unacceptable in all of the circumstances presented by the survey.
    — Cameron Pugh, Christian Science Monitor, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Intervene Intervene means several signals—or one sufficiently consequential event—indicate probable deterioration or unacceptable outcomes.
    — Gerald J. Leonard, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of unacceptable
Adjective
  • That Crowley came from behind to win was a testament to Evers’ grit and determination to keep the nomination from Hong, whom Evers said was unlikely to win in November, and to how terrible of a campaigner Hong turned out to be in the home stretch.
    — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Although the Constitution requires congressional involvement in war-making, Trump like Nixon disdained that mandate with terrible consequences.
    — Elizabeth Holtzman, New York Daily News, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of terrible
Adjective
  • Between 60% and 70% of new Ebola cases are being detected among people who were not already being monitored as contacts, meaning health workers may only discover infections after patients become sick and have had opportunities to expose others.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 15 Aug. 2026
  • News host had brain surgery to remove a tumor, her mother got diagnosed with brain cancer, her younger brother, Peter, suffered injuries from a car accident, and her father got very sick a week before her wedding.
    — Diane J. Cho, PEOPLE, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of sick
Noun
  • The epic eight-part Italian drama was widely acclaimed and streamed in the fall on Mubi, a relatively novice player in the episodic game.
    — David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 12 Aug. 2026
  • The music industry has been wrestling with the pros and cons of the new technology that allows musical novices to create professional-sounding songs in seconds.
    — Bloomberg, Mercury News, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of novice
Noun
  • Tae-ha’s mom left him after Sang-gil, who was also a boxer prior to becoming a thug, cheated in a match.
    — Kayti Burt, Time, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Shortly after his big win, he’s attacked by two thugs in a parking garage.
    — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 30 July 2026
Definition of thug
Noun
  • Marcy had her hair tied up with a bow made from nylon cord and was bent over a fold-up kitchen counter rearranging wet garbage.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Polls show Farage is still likely to win, but that Count Binface — a spoof candidate who wears a garbage pail on his head — may get around 20-percent of the vote.
    — Lauren Frayer, NPR, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of garbage
Adjective
  • The company’s investment in the hedge fund, as well as wrong-way bets in Asian equity markets, drove part of the losses, said the person, who asked not to be identified citing private details.
    — Katherine Doherty, Fortune, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Maybe in this new era, more things will go right than wrong for the Mets.
    — Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of wrong
Adjective
  • Whatever cloud of innocence has hung over Jo’s life until this point is shattered, both parents struggling how to navigate the horrible experience from an emotional as well as a purely bureaucratic perspective.
    — Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 11 Aug. 2026
  • After years of seeing enough photos of fabulous wealth and horrible tragedy, these types of images cease to shock us.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of horrible

Browse Nearby Words

punitive damages
punk
punks
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Cite this Entry

“Punk.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/punk. Accessed 19 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on punk

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about punk

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