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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of skunk
Will Yakowicz, Forbes, 10 Jan. 2025
The daring skunk drags chunks of the carcass one by one into the log for safekeeping, the video shows.
—Brooke Baitinger, Idaho Statesman, 9 Apr. 2025
Troy Renck, The Denver Post, 15 May 2024
In a remarkable, odds-defying losing streak, the 67-year-old composer has been skunked on every nomination, including the past seven years in a row.
—Tyler Coates, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Mar. 2024
See All Example Sentences for skunk
Noun
For most people, weed smells like a skunk because that’s the way God intended.
—Will Yakowicz, Forbes, 10 Jan. 2025
The daring skunk drags chunks of the carcass one by one into the log for safekeeping, the video shows.
—Brooke Baitinger, Idaho Statesman, 9 Apr. 2025
Verb
The premise was that the Minnesota Timberwolves were trying to reconnect in this series after getting skunked twice at home.
—Troy Renck, The Denver Post, 15 May 2024
In a remarkable, odds-defying losing streak, the 67-year-old composer has been skunked on every nomination, including the past seven years in a row.
—Tyler Coates, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Mar. 2024
See All Example Sentences for skunk
Recent Examples of Synonyms for skunk
Noun
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According to LifeLine, the DeKalb shelter takes in 135 dogs a week on average.—
Jim Gaines,
ajc,
13 Sep. 2023
-
The remains were found by two men who were running their dogs and looking for rocks, according to DNASolves.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
13 Sep. 2023
Verb
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When Russia began bombing Kyiv in 2022, the walls were blown away, exposing the old newspapers.—
Chadd Scott,
Forbes.com,
19 May 2025
-
On May 2, Israel bombed an area near the presidential palace in Damascus.—
Bill Hutchinson,
ABC News,
17 May 2025
Verb
-
The moment transpired seven months after the Liberty defeated the Minessota Lynx in a riveting five-game WNBA Finals.—
Fiifi Frimpong,
New York Daily News,
18 May 2025
-
But 19 months after the war in Gaza began, Israel has failed to either defeat Hamas or free all of the captives.—
Aaron Boxerman,
New York Times,
17 May 2025
Verb
-
Suarez is getting stung here and there, but the last two rounds the challenger is landing a bit cleaner.—
Brian Mazique,
Forbes.com,
10 May 2025
-
Democrats — stung by a 2024 election that turned in part on economic concerns — touted their commitment to lowering costs as the legislature returned to work in January.—
Nick Coltrain,
Denver Post,
9 May 2025
Verb
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The clinic posted a photo of the blast’s aftermath that showed the building’s roof caved in, debris flowing into the streets and smoke billowing from inside.—
Richard Winton,
Los Angeles Times,
19 May 2025
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Lifestyle factors such as protecting your skin from the sun's UV rays, not smoking, and maintaining a healthy diet also help reduce premature skin aging.—
Ann Pietrangelo,
Verywell Health,
16 May 2025
Verb
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Topics include earning passive income online, mastering communication and public speaking skills, acing your job interview, and practical strategies to grow your wealth.—
Jennifer Liu,
CNBC,
21 May 2025
-
Nike has mastered this by creating compelling narratives around athletes’ journeys.—
Erik Huberman,
Rolling Stone,
21 May 2025
Verb
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But death in the Final Destination movies has a way of coming for those who cheat their fate, and in this case, the grim reaper wants the survivors of the Skyview disaster and their blood relatives.—
Tim Lammers,
Forbes.com,
20 May 2025
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Brunson ultimately aligned himself with fan-favorite LA Knight after Haliburton tried helping Paul to cheat during the match by giving him brass knuckles.—
Jason Jones,
New York Times,
20 May 2025
Noun
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In the ‘30s and ‘40s, there were all these clowns trying to sell things, and then there was Krinkles the Clown trying to sell cereal [in the ‘50s].—
Brian Davids,
HollywoodReporter,
8 May 2025
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Matthew Davies, 41, was taken into custody on suspicion of assaulting a man with a glass bottle while dressed up as a clown on Oct. 31, 2018, according to a news release issued by the department.—
Vincent Moleski,
Sacbee.com,
8 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Skunk.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/skunk. Accessed 25 May. 2025.
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