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
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
Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 6 June 2026
Lyman, along with Eric Tobin of Hopeless Records and Mike Kaminsky of KMGMT, who also teaches at USC, got together to create the Summer School tour, a traveling group of emerging pop-punk and indie acts, to try to fill the void left after Warped Tour temporarily hung up its cape in 2019.
—Charlie Vargas, Daily News, 4 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
The California punk band Joyce Manor formed in 2008.
—Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 6 June 2026
Lyman, along with Eric Tobin of Hopeless Records and Mike Kaminsky of KMGMT, who also teaches at USC, got together to create the Summer School tour, a traveling group of emerging pop-punk and indie acts, to try to fill the void left after Warped Tour temporarily hung up its cape in 2019.
—Charlie Vargas, Daily News, 4 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for punk
Recent Examples of Synonyms for punk
Adjective
-
The third strand of anti-vaccine advocacy, that compelling vaccine use is unacceptable, is a philosophical claim, not one of fact.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 June 2026
-
There is, of course, Itaewon, which is historically more associated with foreigners and other outsiders, where all who are deemed unacceptable are accepted.—
Anton Hur,
Condé Nast Traveler,
10 June 2026
Adjective
-
In 2012, a powerful quake visited terrible damage on the city of Modena, Bottura’s home and host to his restaurant.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 June 2026
-
The letter writer’s cousin has cancer, and the chemo gives her terrible side effects.—
Eric Thomas,
Sun Sentinel,
11 June 2026
Adjective
-
One daycare worker had also called in sick that morning and another child was on the way.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
8 June 2026
-
The Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued an investigation notice and public health advisory on Thursday, June 4, after eight people became sick across three states.—
Mary Walrath-Holdridge,
USA Today,
8 June 2026
Noun
-
And a new feature called side-slip control enabled even novice drivers to slide through corners like Ken Block.—
Will Sabel Courtney,
Robb Report,
28 May 2026
-
To make the process even easier for novices, the M2 leverages AI to detect the type of materials inserted and automatically adjust the settings for cutting, engraving, or just scoring to make thinner materials easier to flex and fold.—
Andrew Liszewski,
The Verge,
27 May 2026
Noun
-
The fact that this racist thug has been handed policing power by Netanyahu says more about the state of Israel’s democracy and political values—and in particular about the prime minister’s values—than many Israelis might like to admit.—
Avi Issacharoff,
The Atlantic,
22 May 2026
-
White thugs destroyed it in the 1921 Race Massacre.—
Jasmine Desiree,
Los Angeles Times,
12 May 2026
Noun
-
Veterans’ centers, summer camps, boat launches and garbage pickup could all be impacted.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
6 June 2026
-
Any clothes or other materials used to dispose of the broken toy should be put in a separate garbage bag and thrown away as well.—
Parents,
Parents,
6 June 2026
Adjective
-
Wirskye then asked who was wrong that day.—
Dawn White,
CBS News,
7 June 2026
-
Lauren McCormick, a spokeswoman for travel insurance provider Squaremouth, says your phone is the most efficient tool for protecting your travel investment if things go wrong.—
Christopher Elliott,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2026
Adjective
-
The Savages’ social standing has dwindled to the point that only their equally horrible, grasping neighbors, the Bennetts (Richard McCabe and Vicki Pepperdine, both very funny), will fraternize with them.—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
4 June 2026
-
Without an ecosystem of competitive bids like Kalshi's, the customer usually walks away with a horrible deal.—
Ananya Chetia,
CNBC,
3 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Punk.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/punk. Accessed 13 Jun. 2026.
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