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.
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Recent Examples of punk
Brendan Le, PEOPLE, 5 Jan. 2026
Unfortunately for Clark, a Slits cover of one of her songs is unlikely, since the post-punk trio broke up after the 2010 death of frontwoman Ari Up.
—Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 18 Dec. 2025
Jessica Lynch, Billboard, 30 Mar. 2026
The demo is very garage-sounding, very punk-sounding.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 24 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for punk
Adjective
Dave Allen, the bassist of British post-punk group Gang of Four, died at age 69 on April 5.
—Brendan Le, PEOPLE, 5 Jan. 2026
Unfortunately for Clark, a Slits cover of one of her songs is unlikely, since the post-punk trio broke up after the 2010 death of frontwoman Ari Up.
—Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 18 Dec. 2025
Noun
Each two-day event will feature over 100 artists spanning rock, pop punk, alternative, emo, hip-hop, ska and beyond, alongside world-class skateboarders and action sports athletes.
—Jessica Lynch, Billboard, 30 Mar. 2026
The demo is very garage-sounding, very punk-sounding.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 24 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for punk
Recent Examples of Synonyms for punk
Adjective
-
Even in the absence of any proven crime committed by Tisch, even in the naivest retelling or understanding of Tisch’s correspondences with Epstein, his unacceptable relationship with this man deserves censure.—
Pat Leonard,
New York Daily News,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Artemis has been trudging along at a once-every-three-years flight rate, which Isaacman deems unacceptable.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
This is a terrible blow against reform and the Dems should be ashamed.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Here are five novels that have been tied to terrible crimes.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
That leaves a sicker, older, more expensive pool of enrollees, which pushes up premiums for everyone.—
Max Klaver,
Miami Herald,
31 Mar. 2026
-
As a result, many began calling in sick or quitting entirely.—
Mary Walrath-Holdridge,
USA Today,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
After years of working in his garden, the former novice has figured out what grows well in his yard’s different spots.—
Lisa Boone,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Mar. 2026
-
In China, OpenClaw has received a particularly fervent welcome among AI enthusiasts and novices alike.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The thugs would insinuate themselves into the confidence of wayfarers and, when a favorable opportunity presented itself, strangle them by throwing a handkerchief or noose around their necks.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
31 Mar. 2026
-
No government masked thugs shooting down our neighbors in the streets.—
Diego Parrado,
Vanity Fair,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Richter and Henke said the best way to avoid confrontations with coyotes is to eliminate food sources, whether by not feeding them directly, bringing pet food indoors or securing garbage.—
Miriam Fauzia,
Dallas Morning News,
26 Mar. 2026
-
No matter how advanced the algorithm, garbage data in means garbage results out, just with a more polished interface.—
Matt Emma,
USA Today,
25 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
If that doesn't open your eyes in law enforcement, something's wrong with you.—
Lauren Clark,
CBS News,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Both assumptions are increasingly wrong.—
Brian Barlow,
Fortune,
28 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
This is going to be a horrible, terrible, no-good, very bad day.—
Nathan Rott,
NPR,
27 Mar. 2026
-
In another case, a 10-year-old girl contracted horrible lesions on 10 percent of her body — mostly on her legs — after contact with giant hogweed.—
Natalie Krebs,
Outdoor Life,
26 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Punk.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/punk. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
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