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Definition of punknext
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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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of punk
Adjective
Many of us coming out of punk [were] into that kind of new wave post-punk period. David Chiu, Forbes.com, 28 May 2026 In a way, the first group of new wave bands that got labelled punk, maybe one out of five were actually punk. Peter Larsen, Daily News, 27 May 2026
Noun
These anti-fascist singalongs slot into a more playful and irreverent tradition, one more in line with the snotty pop-punk and ska bands who railed against GOP war-mongering in the early 2000s. Zach Schonfeld, Pitchfork, 3 Aug. 2026 Then, when punk arrived in the late ’70s, men started going wraparound again, trying to look like Johnny Rotten or Jello Biafra. Dylan Jones, Robb Report, 3 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for punk
Recent Examples of Synonyms for punk
Adjective
  • The plan is to then gradually introduce louder sounds, Coen added, to discover the level at which a sonic boom noise goes from being acceptable to unacceptable.
    Jacopo Prisco, CNN Money, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Given the national security stakes, the prospect of foreign governments being able to suspend access to critical models at a whim started to feel like an unacceptable risk.
    Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 5 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • The delta between the disability from these diseases and the amount of funding and research being done on them is terrible.
    Emily Forlini, Fortune, 3 Aug. 2026
  • And forty per cent was about how great Modi is and how terrible the opposition is.
    Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • Veterinarians for famed Big Bear bald eagle Jackie, who was found sick and on the ground weeks ago, still don’t know what’s wrong with her.
    Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 2 Aug. 2026
  • What stays with me is not just what happened when my father got sick, but what didn’t happen before.
    Guy Leitersdorf, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
Noun
  • The best rock tumbler for beginners is one that comes as a complete kit, including the rocks, so the novice has the best chance of being successful on the first try.
    BestReviews, Mercury News, 5 Aug. 2026
  • While El-Sayed was ahead in many polls over Stevens, including a recent survey conducted by Emerson College, the Democratic novice is trailing in some polling against Rogers, which the GOP nominee sees as advantageous.
    Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 4 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Shortly after his big win, he’s attacked by two thugs in a parking garage.
    Ben Travers, IndieWire, 30 July 2026
  • The night of the title fight, Duke is attacked by two thugs who smash his hand with a hammer and, in the ensuing chaos, kill somebody close to him.
    Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 30 July 2026
Noun
  • Unlike Lake Michigan, debris and garbage settle along the riverbed and near the banks, forcing divers to search through sediment and obstacles while currents continue to move beneath the surface.
    Darius Johnson, CBS News, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Residents are encouraged to use bear-resistant containers with lids latched, store garbage in a garage or shed until collection day, and put cans at the curb the morning of pickup rather than the night before.
    Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 5 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • The agent that flagged a bad clause in June stops flagging it in July, and nobody did anything wrong, and nothing broke.
    Jason Snyder, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2026
  • Using the wrong type of cleaning product for your tub’s material can result in scratches, discoloration, or chips.
    Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 8 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • But the Chinese way will cause a proliferation of talent, usage, data—until something horrible happens.
    Evan Osnos, New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2026
  • The Badgers have had horrible injury luck, which has led to bad QB play the past few years.
    Antonio Morales, New York Times, 27 July 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Punk.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/punk. Accessed 9 Aug. 2026.

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