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
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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
Spin Staff, SPIN, 8 Apr. 2026
The band’s sound continued to experiment with the trippy, distorted possibilities of post-punk psychedelia.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 19 Mar. 2026
Francesca Perry, CNN Money, 24 Apr. 2026
The film centres on Karampour’s reunion with her brother Siâvash, formerly a vocalist in an Iranian underground punk band now living in exile in New York.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 24 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for punk
Adjective
Instead, the record pulls from a specific strain of ’80s Australian rock, filtering it through a darker, post-punk lens inspired by bands like the Sisters of Mercy and Magazine.
—Spin Staff, SPIN, 8 Apr. 2026
The band’s sound continued to experiment with the trippy, distorted possibilities of post-punk psychedelia.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 19 Mar. 2026
Noun
Spiky furniture and home accessories introduce a punk sensibility into the home, and boldly eschew the assumption of comfort.
—Francesca Perry, CNN Money, 24 Apr. 2026
The film centres on Karampour’s reunion with her brother Siâvash, formerly a vocalist in an Iranian underground punk band now living in exile in New York.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 24 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for punk
Recent Examples of Synonyms for punk
Adjective
-
Our current contractor’s price proposal and timeline to finish the bridge was unreasonable and unacceptable.—
Katie Thomson,
Baltimore Sun,
6 May 2026
-
What happened was unacceptable.—
Teresa Liu,
Daily News,
4 May 2026
Adjective
-
Now, nearly two years later, the school finds itself in a terrible spot, as accusations of serious misconduct arise and an investigation by the athletic department heats up.—
Trey Wallace OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
7 May 2026
-
And, betting on terrible outcomes doesn't signify what the better actually wants to happen.—
Alyssa Goldberg,
USA Today,
7 May 2026
Adjective
-
Oceanwide Expeditions, the Dutch company that operates the ship, said the two sick people on board were crew members who required urgent medical are.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
4 May 2026
-
There are 88 passengers — including one who has died — and 61 crew members, two of whom are sick, onboard, the operator said Monday.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
4 May 2026
Noun
-
Real Madrid are at war with each other and are being coached by a novice.—
Sebastian Stafford-Bloor,
New York Times,
7 May 2026
-
During the ceremony, Gabi also took part in purification rituals traditionally reserved for novice monks.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
6 May 2026
Noun
-
Cabello, once Maduro's chief thug, can now be seen sitting across from high level Trump officials in meetings discussing business deals.—
Margaret Brennan,
CBS News,
30 Apr. 2026
-
He’s beaten by thugs with a crowbar for an unfortunate outburst, exploited by neighbors in the council estate and arrested, all because people don’t understand Tourette syndrome.—
Katie Walsh,
Boston Herald,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Not a dog barking or a feral cat knocking the lid off the garbage.—
Ellen Bass,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
-
The protester who threw a garbage bin was arrested for reckless endangerment shortly after cops arrive, officials said.—
Roni Jacobson,
New York Daily News,
3 May 2026
Adjective
-
Wallace and her collaborators scrambled to get into the water; the whale was swimming in the wrong direction, toward some docks.—
Jessica Camille Aguirre,
New Yorker,
2 May 2026
-
What most people get wrong is conflating the theme of the exhibition with the dress code for the evening.—
José Criales-Unzueta,
Vanity Fair,
2 May 2026
Adjective
-
Italy has not been of any help to us and Spain has been horrible.—
Rebecca Schneid,
Time,
3 May 2026
-
Aston Villa 1-1 Tottenham Chelsea vs Nottingham Forest Again, this is horrible scheduling on a Bank Holiday Monday afternoon, three days before Forest go to Villa for the second leg of that Europa League semi-final.—
Oliver Kay,
New York Times,
1 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Punk.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/punk. Accessed 10 May. 2026.
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