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 horrible
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
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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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of punk
Ian Penman, Harper's Magazine, 19 Feb. 2025
The five smudge shades are named after punk music culture.
—India Espy-Jones, Essence, 10 Dec. 2024
Hazlitt, 18 June 2025
Pavement was real end-of-the-century stuff, punk’s ethos of sledgehammering critique stripped of its former heroism and shock value.
—Armin Rosen, The Washington Examiner, 6 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for punk
Adjective
Dammers’s recollection of this time will strike a chord with many people who were there:
For me, reggae made punk gigs bearable.
—Ian Penman, Harper's Magazine, 19 Feb. 2025
The five smudge shades are named after punk music culture.
—India Espy-Jones, Essence, 10 Dec. 2024
Noun
There isn’t that energy of punks overturning the system.
—Hazlitt, 18 June 2025
Pavement was real end-of-the-century stuff, punk’s ethos of sledgehammering critique stripped of its former heroism and shock value.
—Armin Rosen, The Washington Examiner, 6 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for punk
Recent Examples of Synonyms for punk
Adjective
-
In April 2021, the European Commission proposed a draft of the Artificial Intelligence Act, aimed at introducing a system of AI classification based on risks to users (minimal, limited, high, unacceptable).—
Olena Orliuk,
Forbes.com,
17 June 2025
-
Adams said that such outside interference on a group of experts who are supposed to be able to review science free from political influence sets an unacceptable standard.—
Brenda Goodman,
CNN Money,
16 June 2025
Adjective
-
And in addition to the swing itself, his overall approach at the plate has always been horrible.—
Tim Britton,
New York Times,
19 June 2025
-
With guidance from Benny’s older sister and her campus-legend boyfriend, Benny and Carmen juggle horrible hookups, flavored vodka, and fake IDs.—
Peter White,
Deadline,
16 June 2025
Adjective
-
King Charles and Kate Middleton were both diagnosed with cancer, with the King reportedly still very sick.—
Lissete Lanuza Sáenz,
StyleCaster,
20 June 2025
-
If Rob and Ryan are struck by lightning, get bored, fall out, get sick or lose a court case, will Wrexham look so transcendent?—
Matt Slater,
New York Times,
22 June 2025
Noun
-
The doctor will then train a hearing aid novice on how to insert, charge, and clean the aids and go over any lingering paperwork that needs to be dealt with.—
Christopher Null,
Wired News,
19 June 2025
-
June 18, 2025 Another member of the 6 a.m. group, Toni Clapp moved to Fort Lauderdale 12 years ago as a hockey novice.—
Ben Crandell,
Sun Sentinel,
18 June 2025
Noun
-
But throwing out our precious rights and freedoms, and allowing masked, unidentified thugs to roam our streets detaining people at will is absolutely not the answer.—
Letters to the Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
18 June 2025
-
In an empty warehouse somewhere, McKenna leaves Stabler alone with Vincent Mathis, Emery’s thug.—
Kimberly Roots,
TVLine,
12 June 2025
Noun
-
In the first images of Read since her second trial, Fox News Digital exclusively captured the 45-year-old wheeling a garbage bin outside her Boston hotel.—
Michael Dorgan,
FOXNews.com,
21 June 2025
-
Seal garbage tightly in bags, and rinse out bottles and cans before placing in recycling bins.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
18 June 2025
Adjective
-
Her only 'crime' seems to be coming from the 'wrong' country.—
Billal Rahman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
23 June 2025
-
The Verge reported a Tesla Model Y robotaxi briefly traveled the wrong way down a road in Austin.—
Samantha Subin,
CNBC,
23 June 2025
Adjective
-
Rarely great, and consistently cringey in that NHL way we’re used to by now, but rarely terrible.—
Sean McIndoe,
New York Times,
28 June 2025
-
Gi-hun is left with a terrible choice: kill the baby and survive, or sacrifice himself so that the baby can live.—
Kayti Burt,
Time,
27 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Punk.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/punk. Accessed 2 Jul. 2025.
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