1
as in novices
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in thugs
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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of punks
One of these middle-aged punks (sans the beard and flannel) was a youth swimming coach named Chris Sheppard.
—
David Hill, Rolling Stone, 15 Oct. 2025
Borrowing from the flamboyance of the New Romantics, the edginess of punks and the melancholic themes in their music, goth makeup was dark, vampiric, and vaguely dangerous—an aesthetic music fans copied when gathering at goth haunts like the Batcave in London.
—Sophia Panych, Allure, 8 Oct. 2025
The Cuckoo’s Nest/Zubie’s parking lot in Costa Mesa became ground zero for clashes between punks and cowboys.
—Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 31 Aug. 2025
My dad used to hang out with the punks in Montreal in the 70s.
—Lydia Patrick, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Aug. 2025
David Hill, Rolling Stone, 15 Oct. 2025
Borrowing from the flamboyance of the New Romantics, the edginess of punks and the melancholic themes in their music, goth makeup was dark, vampiric, and vaguely dangerous—an aesthetic music fans copied when gathering at goth haunts like the Batcave in London.
—Sophia Panych, Allure, 8 Oct. 2025
The Cuckoo’s Nest/Zubie’s parking lot in Costa Mesa became ground zero for clashes between punks and cowboys.
—Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 31 Aug. 2025
My dad used to hang out with the punks in Montreal in the 70s.
—Lydia Patrick, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for punks
Noun
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For seasoned cooks and kitchen novices, cookbook author and nutritionist Robin Miller takes it back to the basics with great, family-friendly recipes worth making over and over again.—
Robin Miller,
AZCentral.com,
7 Nov. 2025
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Fast forward 55 years, and the event has grown into the world’s largest and most anticipated road race, drawing professionals and novices alike to push their limits — and test running shoe innovations along the way.—
Tonya Blazio-Licorish,
Footwear News,
31 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Of course, Sarah and her mom continue to believe that God is on their side, even after the family home is attacked by oil company thugs and a reliable ally winds up on the wrong end of a shotgun.—
Joe Leydon,
Variety,
7 Nov. 2025
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In The Big Lebowski, thugs mistake the titular slacker (Bridges) for the wealthy Jeffrey Lebowski, sending him on a wild investigation with his pal Walter (John Goodman) into a ransom plot involving Lebowski’s young wife (Tara Reid).—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
8 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Cozyverse was written with omegaverse beginners in mind, giving readers an easy entry point to our favorite genre, while also crafting stories that would be fresh and exciting to long-time omegaverse fans.—
Emilia Emerson,
PEOPLE,
9 Nov. 2025
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As Arizona approaches its snowy season up north, beginners and experts alike are preparing to hit the slopes this ski season.—
Paige Moore,
AZCentral.com,
7 Nov. 2025
Noun
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The trio has a surprisingly good theory about the implosion of the makeshift Astral Pulse; seems like Shroud never found the original, and someone has been outfitting low-level criminals with bootlegs that are going awry like Robert’s.—
Christopher Cruz,
Rolling Stone,
7 Nov. 2025
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With spoofing tools, criminals can mimic real bank phone numbers and even use AI to reproduce familiar voices.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
6 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Rolle talked to the Miami Herald last week about what potential apprentices need to know about MDC’s pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship programs.—
Michael Butler,
Miami Herald,
20 Oct. 2025
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He and his apprentices host glass- blowing classes on Fridays and Saturdays (reservation required), when guests can make anything from a bowl to a tumbler to an ornament.—
Tara Massouleh McCay,
Southern Living,
4 Oct. 2025
Noun
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These were gangsters, so they weren’t obliged to couch this any way but direct.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
6 Nov. 2025
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McLusky, however, isn’t interested in meeting new gangsters or unknown criminals in his town.—
Demetrius Patterson,
HollywoodReporter,
27 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The Lone Star State experienced a boom in demand during the pandemic, when the rise of remote work allowed an influx of newcomers to relocate to the state, seeking affordable housing.—
Giulia Carbonaro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 Nov. 2025
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One incumbent and four newcomers triumphed in Tuesday’s Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education races to make the third board shake-up in recent years.—
Rebecca Noel,
Charlotte Observer,
5 Nov. 2025
Noun
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The country has faced years of bloodshed from Boko Haram militants and armed bandits, whose motives are often linked more to territorial control and ransom than to religion.—
Gabe Whisnant,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Oct. 2025
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In classical antiquity, the mountainous region was notorious for bandits; in modern times, blood feuds among clans were rife.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
22 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Punks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/punks. Accessed 13 Nov. 2025.
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