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
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Recent Examples of punk
Kim Velsey, Curbed, 28 Feb. 2025
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
Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 7 Sep. 2025
In recent years, Bad Boy has signed rapper French Montana, R&B singer Janelle Monáe and pop-punk rapper Machine Gun Kelly.
—Gina Barton, USA Today, 7 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for punk
Adjective
But after a few years there, the punk front man moved about a ten-minute walk away into a studio apartment at 115 East 9th Street, a 20-story postwar high-rise.
—Kim Velsey, Curbed, 28 Feb. 2025
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
Noun
Shatter and Falconi had formed Flipper in the late 1970s Bay Area at the dawn of hardcore, the tougher and sterner punk variant that had a stronghold in California.
—Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 7 Sep. 2025
In recent years, Bad Boy has signed rapper French Montana, R&B singer Janelle Monáe and pop-punk rapper Machine Gun Kelly.
—Gina Barton, USA Today, 7 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for punk
Recent Examples of Synonyms for punk
Adjective
-
This vile, heartless remark is completely unacceptable—especially from someone entrusted with our children.—
Amy DeLaura,
The Washington Examiner,
12 Sep. 2025
-
What constitutes an unacceptable season for the Yankees these days, and how much does Boone bear responsibility when the team doesn't perform up to those standards?—
Jackson Roberts,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Can a horrible 17-year-old turn into a 31-year-old person with integrity and empathy?—
R. Eric Thomas,
Mercury News,
16 Sep. 2025
-
Can a 17-year-old horrible person turn into a 31-year-old person with integrity and empathy?—
R. Eric Thomas,
Denver Post,
16 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
But many Americans who don't meet the new criteria do still want to get vaccinated to avoid getting sick or spreading the virus to vulnerable family members.—
Rob Stein,
NPR,
11 Sep. 2025
-
Harry, who served in the British Armed Forces for 10 years, launched The Invictus Games in London in 2014 to honor active duty and veteran service members who have been wounded, injured or sick on the job.—
Edward Segarra,
USA Today,
11 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
While the glory days have come and gone — and come and gone again — for Florida, most still see him as the king for a Gators program that was once just a novice to the national stage.—
Nick Harris,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
12 Sep. 2025
-
For seasoned cooks and kitchen novices, cookbook author and nutritionist Robin Miller takes it back to basics with great, family-friendly recipes worth making over and over again.—
Robin Miller,
AZCentral.com,
11 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
We’re then introduced to Louie, a thug who works for a loan shark, threatening and killing people.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
3 Sep. 2025
-
Their neighbor, an older Jewish woman, gets arrested and Nazi thugs brazenly loot her apartment.—
Rabih Alameddine
September 2,
Literary Hub,
2 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Start With Clean, Reliable Data Garbage in, garbage out.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
-
By the end, Flacco was removed from the game and rookie Dillon Gabriel led a garbage-time touchdown drive capped by an 8-yard scoring pass to Dylan Sampson.—
Zac Jackson,
New York Times,
15 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Using the wrong type of cleaning product for your tub's material can result in scratches, discoloration, or chips.—
Ashlyn Needham,
Southern Living,
14 Sep. 2025
-
Scotsman Robert MacIntyre was pleased to have made the cut with a birdie on the last on Friday evening but when a rare second cut was made to shorten the field for the final day, the 29-year-old from Oban was on the wrong side of the line when finishing 2 under par.—
Caoimhe O'Neill,
New York Times,
14 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Yes, there are so much terrible stuff online.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
14 Sep. 2025
-
But that obviously terrible call compromised the integrity of that game last night, and that's something the sport should be looking to avoid.—
Fabian Ardaya,
New York Times,
13 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Punk.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/punk. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
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