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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in horrible
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
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Recent Examples of punk
Chris Morris, Variety, 2 Apr. 2023
Absolutely, particularly in 1976 and ’77 when all those English punk bands were genuinely punk.
—George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Aug. 2021
Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 13 Feb. 2025
Sink has a punk look and can also be seen in the trailer rocking out on a makeshift, DIY guitar in front of a band of masked horn players.
—Tony Maglio, IndieWire, 13 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for punk
Adjective
In the late ’70s and early ’80s, Sire presciently signed or distributed music by a variety of top-flight punk and post-punk groups from the U.S. and abroad.
—Chris Morris, Variety, 2 Apr. 2023
Absolutely, particularly in 1976 and ’77 when all those English punk bands were genuinely punk.
—George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Aug. 2021
Noun
Sum 41 singer Deryck Whibley offered up his sincerest apologies to the pop punk band’s Australian fans in a video posted this week after the group were unable to play what were slated to be the final-ever shows Down Under in December due to his illness.
—Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 13 Feb. 2025
Sink has a punk look and can also be seen in the trailer rocking out on a makeshift, DIY guitar in front of a band of masked horn players.
—Tony Maglio, IndieWire, 13 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for punk
Recent Examples of Synonyms for punk
Adjective
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Without any supporting facts alleging, political impropriety, unacceptable public safety threats, national security concerns, and the potential failure of not executing federal immigration initiatives and policies, all of which will have an impact on Adams’ ability to govern NYC.—
Arnold Kriss,
New York Daily News,
18 Feb. 2025
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Many of them will likely be seen in Kyiv as unacceptable.—
Ivana Kottasová,
CNN,
18 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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There are so many horrible things happening in the world.—
Marta Balaga,
Variety,
18 Feb. 2025
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While much of the criticism of HSR has come from inside California, the project’s horrible reputation is gaining national attention.—
Jon Coupal,
Orange County Register,
15 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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One family has a sick child who could be heard crying in the background during a call between Herischi and Panamanian officials.—
Yong Xiong, Michael Rios, CNN and Ivonne Valdés,
CNN,
22 Feb. 2025
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Gazans cheer, blast music as Hamas conducts sick parade of hostages Hamas paraded Israeli hostages Eliya Cohen, Omer Shem Tov and Omer Wenkert in front of a cheering crowd Saturday, before releasing them after more than 500 days in captivity.—
Landon Mion,
Fox News,
22 Feb. 2025
Noun
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There are some things novice and experienced dog owners should know to raise a successful pup to adulthood.—
Krystal Nurse,
USA TODAY,
14 Feb. 2025
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As Syrus Solo Jin wrote in Time, budget blunders by overwhelmed novices meant police weren’t paid on time.—
Michelle Goldberg,
The Mercury News,
5 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Image In so many ways, Jan. 6 had become part of his brand — a brand in which an attack on the symbol of American democracy became a defense of that same democracy: a blow against political thugs and closet communists, deep-state plots and an unjust justice system.—
Dan Barry,
New York Times,
5 Jan. 2025
-
The investigation leads Cole into an ugly world of red-neck thugs and disappeared girls.—
Sandra Dallas,
The Denver Post,
2 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Crews wearing hazmat suits shoveled mounds of ash into plastic garbage bags.—
Tony Briscoe,
Los Angeles Times,
12 Feb. 2025
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Hegseth calls new names 'garbage' Hegseth already signaled his intention to revert the original, Confederate names of two bases.—
Tom Vanden Brook,
USA TODAY,
11 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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This reveals Wrexham have still been creating more than the opposition, suggesting there wasn’t a lot wrong and that an upturn in individual form, as happened at Mansfield with the back three, will bring the necessary results to stay in the promotion hunt.—
Richard Sutcliffe,
The Athletic,
23 Feb. 2025
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The Monkey continues Perkins’ brand of glossy, inert horror with the kind of cinematography and blocking that calls the wrong kind of attention to itself.—
Angelica Jade Bastién,
Vulture,
22 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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This is, on paper, a terrible idea for all involved.—
Zak Garner-Purkis,
Forbes,
27 Feb. 2025
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Until its proves otherwise, Miami sits mediocre at ninth-best in the 16-team AFC -- not terrible, surely not the dregs ... but not a contender.—
Greg Cote,
Miami Herald,
26 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Punk.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/punk. Accessed 4 Mar. 2025.
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