plural punks
1
: a usually petty gangster, hoodlum, or ruffian
2
3
4
[probably partly from punk entry 3]
: nonsense, foolishness
5
archaic
: a woman who engages in sex acts and especially sexual intercourse in exchange for pay : a woman who is a sex worker
1
a
: of or relating to punk rock
b
: relating to or being a style (as of dress or hair) inspired by punk rock
2
: very poor : inferior
played a punk game
3
: being in poor health
said that she was feeling punk
1
: wood so decayed as to be dry, crumbly, and useful for tinder
2
: a preparation (as of a stick of coated wood) that burns slowly and is used to ignite fuses especially of fireworks
Examples of punk in a Sentence
Noun (1)
an impertinent punk who was trying to tell senior colleagues how to do their jobs
the vigilante was hailed by some as a hero for standing up to the punks who had repeatedly threatened his family
claims made by cosmetic companies about their antiaging creams that turned out to be a lot of punk
Adjective
she plays a punk game of tennis, so you won't have any trouble beating her
the acting in the movie ranged all the way from poor to punk
Recent Examples on the Web
Ian Servantes, Footwear News, 10 Feb. 2026
The punk movement broke out around this time.
—Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 10 Feb. 2026
Stephen M. Deusner, Pitchfork, 8 Feb. 2026
Heeding these cryptic words some three decades later, the audacious (and well-read) impresario Tony Wilson opened the Haçienda together with the circle of post-punk musicians and designers involved with his label, Factory Records.
—Boris Kachka, The Atlantic, 9 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for punk
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Noun
Hellstar was founded five years ago in Los Angeles, where this year’s NBA All-Star festivities will be held, and is known for graphic-heavy designs informed by punk and heavy metal.
—Ian Servantes, Footwear News, 10 Feb. 2026
The punk movement broke out around this time.
—Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 10 Feb. 2026
Adjective
With Alex Chilton as his sideman, the provocative Tav Falco brought blues and rockabilly screaming into the post-punk era.
—Stephen M. Deusner, Pitchfork, 8 Feb. 2026
Heeding these cryptic words some three decades later, the audacious (and well-read) impresario Tony Wilson opened the Haçienda together with the circle of post-punk musicians and designers involved with his label, Factory Records.
—Boris Kachka, The Atlantic, 9 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for punk
Cite this Entry
“Punk.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/punk. Accessed 12 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
punk
2 of 2 adjective1
: very poor in quality
played a punk game
2
: being in poor health
feeling punk today
3
a
: of or relating to punk rock
b
: relating to or being a style (as of clothing or hair) first inspired by punk rock
Etymology
Noun
origin unknown
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