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
People don’t think of themselves as Jewish punks at this time.
—
Siran Babayan, Los Angeles Times, 18 May 2026
Theater is not for punks, okay?
—Zak Cheney-Rice, Vulture, 13 May 2026
Conversely, maybe the fact that their songs, while impressively self-possessed, weren’t directly confrontational has kept them from being counted as forebears to the feminist punks who would come after.
—Marissa Lorusso, Pitchfork, 3 May 2026
Music zines often had the same format, columns from semi-famous punks, interviews with up-and-coming bands, record reviews, and, always shunted to the back, zine reviews.
—Literary Hub, 23 Apr. 2026
And everyone else was private school punks.
—Mikey O'Connell, HollywoodReporter, 22 Apr. 2026
In the greater story of resistance in Minneapolis’ streets, punks have a chapter of their own.
—Evan Minsker, Rolling Stone, 7 Feb. 2026
Directed by James Buddy Day, 40 Years of F**kin’ Up traces NOFX’s evolution from teenage punks to one of the most influential and polarising bands in modern punk history.
—Jessica Lynch, Billboard, 17 Jan. 2026
For example, in Granada, there is a community of ravers, punks, that have been there since the time of Margaret Thatcher.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 16 Dec. 2025
Siran Babayan, Los Angeles Times, 18 May 2026
Theater is not for punks, okay?
—Zak Cheney-Rice, Vulture, 13 May 2026
Conversely, maybe the fact that their songs, while impressively self-possessed, weren’t directly confrontational has kept them from being counted as forebears to the feminist punks who would come after.
—Marissa Lorusso, Pitchfork, 3 May 2026
Music zines often had the same format, columns from semi-famous punks, interviews with up-and-coming bands, record reviews, and, always shunted to the back, zine reviews.
—Literary Hub, 23 Apr. 2026
And everyone else was private school punks.
—Mikey O'Connell, HollywoodReporter, 22 Apr. 2026
In the greater story of resistance in Minneapolis’ streets, punks have a chapter of their own.
—Evan Minsker, Rolling Stone, 7 Feb. 2026
Directed by James Buddy Day, 40 Years of F**kin’ Up traces NOFX’s evolution from teenage punks to one of the most influential and polarising bands in modern punk history.
—Jessica Lynch, Billboard, 17 Jan. 2026
For example, in Granada, there is a community of ravers, punks, that have been there since the time of Margaret Thatcher.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 16 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for punks
Noun
-
Aspiring nuns begin their training in this convent, and novices take their vows before being sent out to serve the community.—
Sophie Neiman,
NPR,
20 June 2026
-
This makes these spots good for young anglers and novices as well as those with mobility challenges.—
Kaitlyn Keegan,
Hartford Courant,
19 June 2026
Noun
-
The actions of these thugs, who should be imprisoned for a long while, is the cause of denying real Knicks fans the chance to watch the game communally.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
10 June 2026
-
People have committed suicide because a bunch of thugs went after them.—
NBC news,
NBC news,
7 June 2026
Noun
-
How to find Mercury on June 15 The Celestron NexStar 4SE is ideal for beginners wanting quality, reliable and quick views of the night sky.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
15 June 2026
-
Check out this soccer guide for beginners and aficionados.—
Kelly Phillips Erb,
Forbes.com,
13 June 2026
Noun
-
If criminals have enough information to keep attacking your accounts, a credit freeze can help stop them from opening new credit in your name.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
19 June 2026
-
And historically, denaturalization has been reserved for the most egregious offenders, such as human rights abusers and violent criminals.—
Camilo Montoya-Galvez,
CBS News,
18 June 2026
Noun
-
The location is intended to help students, technicians, apprentices, and engineers move directly into careers linked to quantum technologies.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
17 June 2026
-
Regular midwives were primarily women, trained as apprentices but not institutionally educated.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
16 June 2026
Noun
-
Neither immigrant family should be linked to violent gangsters, of course.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
13 June 2026
-
One of the most innovative gangsters of the 20th century, Frank Lucas earned the title of Harlem drug kingpin in the late-‘60s and early-‘70s by importing high-quality heroin from Southeast Asia and selling it under the street name Blue Magic.—
Kevin Jacobsen,
Entertainment Weekly,
6 June 2026
Noun
-
Among the newcomers is Alannah Keyser, a 21-year-old film school student at the University of Southern California.—
Allison DeGrushe,
StyleCaster,
22 June 2026
-
But there’s no denying the global impact the newcomers had on the band, especially Nicks, who would go on to have a successful solo career as well.—
Suzanne Van Atten,
AJC.com,
21 June 2026
Noun
-
In the movie, Furiosa is taken from her idyllic home by bandits and grows up shuttled between psychopath Dementus (Chris Hemsworth) and warlord Immortan Joe (Lachy Hulme).—
Rebecca Aizin,
PEOPLE,
17 June 2026
-
Deportees from the United States are especially vulnerable to robbery and kidnapping because gangs and bandits assume that their families can pay larger ransoms.—
Caitlin Dickerson,
The Atlantic,
15 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Punks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/punks. Accessed 24 Jun. 2026.
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