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
EW.com, 9 Mar. 2025
The Getty has acquired the archive of American artist Raymond Pettibon, best known for his punk aesthetic and documentation of the rock ‘n’ roll scene in Southern California in the 1980s.
—Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times, 14 Mar. 2025
David Browne, Rolling Stone, 26 Apr. 2025
Hence the rather glorious scene on Easter Friday of a Mancunian punk band called Battery Farm belting out a song called Roy Keane is Not Real before a 3-2 home defeat to Whitby Town.
—Daniel Taylor, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for punk
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Adjective
But, some of the coolest, punkest, and most transgressive drag happens right here.
—EW.com, 9 Mar. 2025
The Getty has acquired the archive of American artist Raymond Pettibon, best known for his punk aesthetic and documentation of the rock ‘n’ roll scene in Southern California in the 1980s.
—Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times, 14 Mar. 2025
Noun
In videos and photos on social media, Leake, now in his early fifties, had the aura of an elder-statesman goth punk.
—David Browne, Rolling Stone, 26 Apr. 2025
Hence the rather glorious scene on Easter Friday of a Mancunian punk band called Battery Farm belting out a song called Roy Keane is Not Real before a 3-2 home defeat to Whitby Town.
—Daniel Taylor, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for punk
Cite this Entry
“Punk.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/punk. Accessed 6 May. 2025.
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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