as in dog
a person whose behavior is offensive to others
he's nothing but a dirty, rotten skunk
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to bomb
to defeat by a large margin
we ended up skunking them, as our goalie was able to prevent the other team from scoring a single goal
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in to defeat
to achieve a victory over
our football team consistently skunks our traditional rivals Thanksgiving after Thanksgiving
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to sting
to rob by the use of trickery or threats
unwilling to let suppliers skunk him, the restaurant owner inspected every shipment before signing off on it
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of skunk
Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 28 May 2026
Also, eliminate what attracts skunks to your yard to begin with.
—Rae Ford, Martha Stewart, 23 May 2026
Larry Light, Forbes.com, 9 July 2025
The party got skunked in every battleground state and lost the popular vote for the first time in 20 years.
—Charlotte Alter, Time, 19 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for skunk
Noun
Fleas are carried constantly into your yard by wildlife that passes through, such as skunks, raccoons, opossums, mice, and deer, says Benson.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 28 May 2026
Also, eliminate what attracts skunks to your yard to begin with.
—Rae Ford, Martha Stewart, 23 May 2026
Verb
Long-term, however, the S&P 500 has skunked the world index, and shows very sign of continuing to do so.
—Larry Light, Forbes.com, 9 July 2025
The party got skunked in every battleground state and lost the popular vote for the first time in 20 years.
—Charlotte Alter, Time, 19 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for skunk
Recent Examples of Synonyms for skunk
Noun
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If your dog goes with you for outdoor activities, give it a bath and then apply tick medication.—
Karen Garcia,
Los Angeles Times,
16 June 2026
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The parasite has the cattle and dairy industry on edge, but in Mexico, screwworm has also been found in bears, pigs, goats, and even dogs and cats.—
John Lauritsen,
CBS News,
16 June 2026
Verb
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Months later, the US and Israel bombed Iran in a conflict that is ongoing.—
Kinsey Crowley,
USA Today,
10 June 2026
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The campus is eerily silent, even as Israel attacks Lebanon and the United States bombs Iran.—
Jonathan Zimmerman,
Chicago Tribune,
9 June 2026
Verb
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Across fixtures which mirror the opening half-a-dozen matches of the first team’s Champions League campaign, Newcastle were defeated on every occasion.—
Chris Waugh,
New York Times,
12 Dec. 2025
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So that led to the biggest shock of all when after Steven blocked Savannah’s vote, and Sophi’s Knowledge is Power fizzled in spectacular fashion, and Tres Leches seemed despondent and defeated… that Steven ended up being unanimously voted out anyway!—
Dalton Ross,
Entertainment Weekly,
11 Dec. 2025
Verb
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The Rays stung with two outs again in the sixth.—
Gabrielle Starr,
Boston Herald,
10 June 2026
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This stings even more on the heels of Hyatt’s award chart overhaul, which now has five price tiers instead of three.—
Jason Stauffer,
CNBC,
10 June 2026
Noun
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Hints at the canonical Big Daddies of existential clown float through the air — Beckett would recognize this pair, and so would Jean Genet.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
14 June 2026
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In showcasing the comedy and entertainment skills of drag queens, rather than the lip-syncing talents most people might be familiar with, the movie in effect asks critics of drag what exactly is so scary about a bunch of glamorous clowns.—
David Mack,
CNN Money,
10 June 2026
Verb
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Srdoek's also ships its fresh kielbasa and smoked kielbasa in rings of about 2½ pounds starting at $13 to $20 depending on the variety for a ring.—
Susan Selasky,
Freep.com,
11 Dec. 2025
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Make sure to wipe greasy areas, too, since oil will smoke during baking.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
11 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
The flipping technique for his classic, beautifully molten-on-the-inside Spanish tortilla takes a good amount of practice to master.—
General Manager,
Los Angeles Times,
14 June 2026
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Yet, the Knicks mastered those qualities to ensure one of the NBA’s biggest markets could become great again.—
Mark Medina,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2026
Verb
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Jay Cooke, who had once been lionized for his role in financing the Union victory, was attacked in the press and accused of cheating ordinary Americans out of their savings.—
John Cassidy,
New Yorker,
15 June 2026
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Here, Ruhian diversifies his skill set, killing people at a distance with a bow and arrow, which feels like cheating.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
11 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Skunk.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/skunk. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
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