skunk

noun \ ˈskəŋk \

Definition of skunk

plural skunks also skunk

1 a :any of various common omnivorous black-and-white New World mammals (especially genus Mephitis) of the weasel family that have a pair of perineal glands from which a secretion of pungent and offensive odor is ejected

b :the fur of a skunk

2 :an obnoxious or disliked person

See skunk defined for English-language learners

See skunk defined for kids

Examples of skunk in a Sentence

Her brother's a low-down, dirty skunk.
he's nothing but a dirty, rotten skunk

Recent Examples of skunk from the Web

In 2015, 97 bats tested positive for rabies in Illinois, public health officials said, adding any wild mammal, including raccoons, skunks, foxes, coyotes and bats, can have rabies, which can be transmitted to humans.

— karen ann cullotta, chicagotribune.com, "After rabid bat found in Arlington Heights, officials share tips to prevent rabies," 16 Aug. 2017
Residents had already removed the skunk from the house.

— sandra gomez-aceves, courant.com, "Skunk Made Its Way Into Hamden Child's Bed," 4 Aug. 2017
Alphabet Inc.'s secretive X skunk works has another idea that could save the world.

— Fortune, "Google Has a Secret Plan to Store Renewable Energy," 31 July 2017
There were always adventures of skunks or porcupine coming in.

— treva lind, idahostatesman, "Hanging onto the family lake place," 26 July 2017
Coyotes have an important ecological role by limiting populations of skunks, raccoons and foxes, which increases bird diversity.

— thomas oide, sacbee, "They just got back from a walk with their dog. A coyote snatched it off the porch.," 18 July 2017
A resident of the 200 block of Middaugh Road called police at 9:20 a.m. June 27 for help with a family of skunks in her backyard.

— kimberly fornek, chicagotribune.com, "Clarendon Hills police blotter: Attempted burglary of Park Avenue condominium," 29 June 2017
Cats and skunks roam in and out through narrow gaps, leaving behind sprays of feathers from birds that became meals, while the little nests of barn swallows provide hideaways in the rafters.

— john carlisle, Detroit Free Press, "Historic barn on Leelanau Peninsula faces demolition," 22 June 2017
Our kids need to see a skunk or a porcupine in the wild.

— roger simmons, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Police ask for end of $2 million treasure hunt following deaths of former Orlando man, Colorado pastor," 22 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'skunk.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Illustration of skunk

Origin and Etymology of skunk

earlier squuncke, from a Massachusett reflex of Algonquian *šeka·kwa, from šek- urinate + -a·kw fox, fox-like animal

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1634

See Words from the same year

skunk Synonyms

Synonyms

bastard, beast, bleeder [British], blighter [chiefly British], boor, bounder, bugger, buzzard, cad, chuff, churl, clown, creep, cretin, crud [slang], crumb [slang], cur, dirtbag [slang], dog, fink, heel, hound, joker, louse, lout, pill, rat, rat fink, reptile, rotter, schmuck [slang], scum, scumbag [slang], scuzzball [slang], jerk, sleaze, sleazebag [slang], sleazeball [slang], slime, slimeball [slang], slob, snake, so-and-so, sod [chiefly British], stinkard, stinker, swine, toad, varmint, vermin

Related Words

barbarian, brute, caveman, Neanderthal, savage; loudmouth, vulgarian; lowlife, miscreant, rascal, rogue, roughneck, scab, scamp, scoundrel, villain, wretch; booby, doofus [slang], fool, jackass, nincompoop, ninny, nit [chiefly British], nitwit, nut, schmo (or schmoe) [slang]; airhead, birdbrain, blockhead, dink [slang], dolt, dope, dork [slang], goon, half-wit, idiot, imbecile, moron, turkey; brat, insolent, nuisance, pest, snip; snob, snoot, snot; dweeb [slang], nerd

Near Antonyms

hero, heroine, idol, role model; gentleman, lady; angel, saint

Other Mammals Terms

dormouse, dugong, gibbon, grimalkin, sable, stoat, ungulate, vole

skunk

verb

Definition of skunk

transitive verb

1 a :defeat

b :to prevent entirely from scoring or succeeding :shut out

2 :to fail to pay; also :cheat

Examples of skunk in a Sentence

we ended up skunking them, as our goalie was able to prevent the other team from scoring a single goal
our football team consistently skunks our traditional rivals Thanksgiving after Thanksgiving

Recent Examples of skunk from the Web

Overcast and somewhat cool temperatures at Mandeville High School were John Curtis battled Covington for a 7-0 win and Riverside Academy skunked Mandeville 28-0.

— david grunfeld, NOLA.com, "Get your mind off of Hurricane Harvey and check out the photos from the Mandeville prep football jamboree," 26 Aug. 2017
For someone who in the past felt lucky to find a few morels — and more than once had been skunked — this seemed nothing short of miraculous.

— bill sherwonit, Alaska Dispatch News, "Confessions of a morel hunter," 5 Aug. 2017
EAGLE LAKE Fishing continues to be slow with most anglers getting skunked or picking up just one or two trout.

— sacbee, "Salmon season off to slow start, but there are signs of hope," 31 July 2017
Because skunk spray is an oil and Dawn removes oil from animals so well, Dawn is a good tool in your arsenal of pet de-skunking. 5.

— emily main, Fox News, "7 summer pet problems solved," 11 July 2017
After three hours of waiting and watching, he's been skunked: no bobcats.

— david holahan, courant.com, "Photographer Paul Fusco: Slow And Steady To Capture The Wild Things," 21 May 2017
The impulse within some progressives to skunk up the garden party is a wonder to behold.

— charles p. pierce, Esquire, "A Few Words About What Happened in Kansas," 12 Apr. 2017
Jeff Alworth, the author of The Beer Bible, says that sun and even artificial light will skunk a beer.

— danielle tullo, Cosmopolitan, "13 Ways You're Drinking Wrong," 24 Nov. 2015

First Known Use of skunk

1843

skunk Synonyms

Synonyms

annihilate, blow away, bomb, bury, clobber, cream, drub, dust, flatten, paste, rout, shellac, skin, whip, smoke [slang], smother, snow under, thrash, trim, tromp, trounce, wallop, wax [slang], whomp, whop (or whap), whup

Antonyms

lose (to)

Related Words

sweep, upset; beat, best, conquer, dispatch, hurdle, lick, master, overbear, overcome, overmatch, prevail (over), subdue, surmount, take, throw, triumph (over), win (against), worst; crush, knock off, knock over, overpower, overthrow, overwhelm, subjugate, upend, vanquish; ace (out), better, eclipse, exceed, outdistance, outdo, outfight, outshine, outstrip, overtop, surpass, top, transcend; edge (out), nose out, pip [British]; cap, excel, flourish, score, succeed; break, destroy, do in, finish, sink, slaughter

Near Antonyms

fall, give up, go down, go under; collapse, fail, flop, flunk, fold, wash out

Skunk

geographical name

Definition of Skunk

river 264 miles (425 kilometers) long in southeastern Iowa flowing southeast into the Mississippi River

SKUNK Defined for English Language Learners

skunk

noun

Definition of skunk for English Language Learners

: a small black-and-white North American animal that produces a very strong and unpleasant smell when it is frightened or in danger
: a very bad or unpleasant person