1
as in bombed
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
Relevance
2
as in defeated
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 stung
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 skunked
That means two out of three Minnesota turkey hunters are going skunked this spring.
—
Alex Robinson, Outdoor Life, 16 Apr. 2026
Alex Robinson, Outdoor Life, 16 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for skunked
Verb
-
This bombed because most of the audience believes no answer, explanation or defense will suffice.—
Mac Engel
June 12,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
12 June 2026
-
After Israel purportedly bombed Iranian energy targets in March, Iran responded by hitting the energy infrastructure of nearby Arab states.—
Ariel Cohen,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2026
Verb
-
New York City exploded with joy on Saturday night, with hundreds of thousands of people taking to the streets after the Knicks defeated the San Antonio Spurs in Game 5 of the NBA finals.—
Ethan Shanfeld,
Variety,
15 June 2026
-
Jalen Brunson finished with 45 points as the New York Knicks defeated the San Antonio Spurs 94-90 in Game 5 of the NBA Finals to earn their first title since 1973.—
Tim Reynolds,
Los Angeles Times,
14 June 2026
Verb
-
Drivers stung by high gas prices have enjoyed some welcome relief over recent weeks, however, even as the impact of the Iran war continues to choke off oil supply.—
Max Zahn,
ABC News,
12 June 2026
-
The Rays stung with two outs again in the sixth.—
Gabrielle Starr,
Boston Herald,
10 June 2026
Verb
-
All eyes are on whether everyone’s second-favorite team can upset the odds.—
Ben Church,
CNN Money,
14 June 2026
-
In football, the Jets with Joe Namath upset the Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
14 June 2026
Verb
-
Eva Longoria has mastered the art of the Euro summer outfit.—
Kyra Surgent,
InStyle,
12 June 2026
-
Whatever the account, these are poems that have not simply endured time, but have mastered it, capturing it in their movements, their tides.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 June 2026
Verb
-
Hilton on Tuesday addressed the president’s unfounded but vociferous claims that Democrats have massively cheated in our recent election.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
11 June 2026
-
People are robbed, assaulted and cheated.—
Armando Salguero OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
8 June 2026
Verb
-
On Sunday in Houston, four-time world champions Germany trounced Curacao 7-1.—
Felipe Cardenas,
New York Times,
15 June 2026
-
Assemblywoman Claire Valdez trounced Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso by a 2-1 margin in fundraising in their Democratic primary in the NY-07 district as early voting was set to start Saturday in four contentious NYC congressional races, federal disclosure reports revealed.—
Dave Goldiner,
New York Daily News,
12 June 2026
Verb
-
Allisha Gray tied her season high with 26 points, Isobel Borlase set a career best with 17 off the bench, and the Atlanta Dream overcame a slow start to roll past the Toronto Tempo 102-77 Sunday at Coca-Cola Coliseum.—
Christopher Harris,
CBS News,
15 June 2026
-
Brunson scored 13 consecutive points in the fourth quarter for the Knicks, who overcame double-digit deficits in all four of their victories against the Spurs.—
Tim Reynolds,
Los Angeles Times,
14 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Skunked.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/skunked. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
