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
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
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
12 May 2026
The rhythm section plays duck-and-dodge with the post-punk guitar, building up the tension.
—
Rob Sheffield,
Rolling Stone,
11 May 2026
Nina Corcoran,
Pitchfork,
23 June 2026
Black Friday is just a little snot-nosed punk swinging his fists in the air.
—
Kate McGregor,
Architectural Digest,
23 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for punk
Adjective
Described as Superbad meets Derry Girls, Bender is based on the late-’70s, post-punk Dublin coming-of-age experiences of Adrian Cunningham, who penned the script with Ciaran Bartlett.
—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
12 May 2026
The rhythm section plays duck-and-dodge with the post-punk guitar, building up the tension.
—
Rob Sheffield,
Rolling Stone,
11 May 2026
Noun
Opening select dates will be Nashville egg punk icons Snõõper as well as the Raleigh rockers Truth Club.
—
Nina Corcoran,
Pitchfork,
23 June 2026
Black Friday is just a little snot-nosed punk swinging his fists in the air.
—
Kate McGregor,
Architectural Digest,
23 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for punk
Recent Examples of Synonyms for punk
Adjective
-
If scar tissue is too severe, if prior surgeries have left the blood supply compromised, or if a patient's goals aren't achievable without unacceptable risk, proceeding could cause irreversible damage.
-
Yes, Stokes’ late night out, in the context of what went on before, was unacceptable.
Adjective
-
The production quality was terrible.
-
But in May of 1943, a terrible fire burned his studio to the ground.
Adjective
-
Having a sick pet is emotionally a lot to handle.
-
Preventing infestation Just because one calf is sick doesn’t mean the entire herd will get it, Cammack said.
Noun
-
The five-part docuseries, directed by Brian Knappenberger with Tom Hanks as executive producer, offers novice history buffs an extensive look into the establishment of American democracy.
-
To create something wholly new, the narrative team looked back to other games with a low barrier to entry, particularly early 2000s Nintendo consoles that invited novices to join the fold.
Noun
-
Ditto Hugh Jackman’s unerring performance — perhaps his finest dramatic work yet — as a savage, unfeeling thug and unrepentant murderer and thief.
-
The actions of these thugs, who should be imprisoned for a long while, is the cause of denying real Knicks fans the chance to watch the game communally.
Noun
-
Since construction at the Eagle Rock site — so nicknamed after a decrepit colonnade — first stalled in 2008, the only thing that accumulated faster than the garbage and graffiti were the epithets from outraged community members.
-
Relying Too Much On Garbage Disposals Though the name may be deceiving, garbage disposals aren’t actually designed to dispose of all garbage.
Adjective
-
Something told me that there was something wrong.
-
The interest rate hypothesis points the wrong direction — the most rate-sensitive occupations, like construction, have the lowest AI exposure.
Adjective
-
The Red Sox offense has been horrible this season, but Contreras has been everything the club could have hoped for.
-
Your cab driver is taking you on a horrible route.
Cite this Entry
“Punk.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/punk. Accessed 1 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
