skunk 1 of 2

noun

ˈskəŋk How to pronounce skunk (audio)
Definition of skunknext
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

skunk

2 of 2

verb

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of skunk
Noun
Rabies is often found in bats, raccoons, skunks, and foxes, but any mammal can be infected. — Kelli Arseneau, USA Today, 1 July 2026 Hence, bright lights and sprays of water will make skunks want to flee your yard. — Michelle Mastro, The Spruce, 1 July 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
  1. dog
  2. bomb
  3. defeat
  4. sting
  5. clown
  6. smoke
  7. master
  8. cheat
Noun
  • On Saturday, rescue crews aided by dogs and detectors found signs of life, confirming that at least one survivor was still trapped beneath the rubble.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 19 July 2026
  • Most famously, in 1966 the trophy was found underneath a hedge by a dog called Pickles a week after thieves had taken it from Westminster Central Hall, London, following England’s victory.
    — Eduardo Tansley, New York Times, 19 July 2026
Definition of dog
Verb
  • Things had improved since then, before spilling out into the open late last year when Saudi Arabia bombed a port in Yemen targeting a weapons shipment from the UAE.
    — Matthew Martin, semafor.com, 9 July 2026
  • The administration has since tried to bomb its way out of this war, but without the ability to hold territory, the United States is now merely depleting its stocks of expensive ordnance to little strategic effect.
    — Tom Nichols, The Atlantic, 8 July 2026
Definition of bomb
Verb
  • Calypso had been banished to live on the island of Ogygia after the Olympians defeated the Titans long ago.
    — Tanya Fedak, Variety, 18 July 2026
  • Tiffany Stratton qualified by defeating Jacy Jayne, while Jade Cargill advanced via disqualification against Nia Jax after Charlotte Flair's interference.
    — Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 18 July 2026
Definition of defeat
Verb
  • Symptoms of smoke inhalation include coughing, trouble breathing, wheezing, asthma attacks, stinging eyes, scratchy throat, runny nose and irritated sinuses, headaches, tiredness, chest pain and a fast heartbeat.
    — Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 17 July 2026
  • But that came before Williams’ stinging comments about the settlement between the Justice Department and IRS.
    — Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 15 July 2026
Definition of sting
Noun
  • Perhaps most astonishingly, the movie manages to make creepy clowns — that shopworn trope — genuinely frightening again.
    — Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 7 July 2026
  • The group demonstrated near the Washington Monument and was met by a few counter protestors, one of which played clown music throughout the majority of the demonstration.
    — Antonio Pequeño IV, Forbes.com, 4 July 2026
Definition of clown
Verb
  • Beyond standard advice—healthy diet and exercise, don’t smoke, get enough sleep—the best advice is some laser resurfacing along with sunscreen.
    — The Editors, Robb Report, 19 July 2026
  • Many millions of Americans and Canadians are breathing bad air right now due to smoke from hundreds of Canadian wildfires and additional wildfires in northern Minnesota.
    — Jen Christensen, CNN Money, 18 July 2026
Definition of smoke
Verb
  • Specialists are now studying the turbine blades to determine how they were manufactured and whether Russia has mastered single-crystal casting for cruise missile propulsion.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 13 July 2026
  • Ahead, Sharkey shares more advice for mastering boho style, along with her product recommendations that check flower crowns at the door.
    — Irene Richardson, InStyle, 11 July 2026
Definition of master
Verb
  • For anyone still motivated to cheat, election systems in the United States are designed with multiple layers of protection and transparency intended to stand in the way.
    — Ali Swenson, Chicago Tribune, 18 July 2026
  • The president used California, a favorite target, to hint that Democrats were cheating.
    — Justine McDaniel, Los Angeles Times, 17 July 2026
Definition of cheat

Browse Nearby Words

skull sessions
skunk
skunked
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Cite this Entry

“Skunk.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/skunk. Accessed 21 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on skunk

Nglish: Translation of skunk for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about skunk

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