skunking

verb

present participle of skunk
1
as in overcoming
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

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2
as in defeating
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 cheating
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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for skunking
  1. overcoming
  2. defeating
  3. cheating
  4. whipping
  5. mastering
  6. stinging
  7. bombing
  8. beating
Verb
  • Beyond his fighting career, McGee is celebrated for his inspirational journey of overcoming drug addiction, having been sober for over two decades.
    — Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
  • But he’ll best be known for overcoming a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his elbow, suffered in 1974.
    — David K. Li, NBC news, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of overcoming
Verb
  • The Minnesota Twins are also two games back after defeating the Milwaukee Brewers 8-6 on Friday.
    — LaMond Pope, Chicago Tribune, 8 Aug. 2026
  • But the technology for defeating ballistic missiles has advanced significantly since the Cold War.
    — Nathan Hodge, CNN Money, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of defeating
Verb
  • In March, the owner of a Colorado funeral home was sentenced to 18 years in prison for mishandling nearly 190 dead bodies, cheating customers and defrauding the federal government through loan applications.
    — Tess Kenny, Chicago Tribune, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Trump has been accused of cheating at golf many times, but some pro golfers have praised his game.
    — Tom D'Angelo, USA Today, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of cheating
Verb
  • He’s spent the last week whipping senators to support it and even enlisted former Alabama football coach Nick Saban to dial up undecided lawmakers, according to people familiar with the matter.
    — Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Battered cars with numbers sprayed on their sides are whipping around the dirt track of the Lebanon Valley Speedway, loose fenders flopping like overgrown bangs in the swirling dust.
    — Alison Willmore, Vulture, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of whipping
Verb
  • Saldaña has also spoken about the challenge of mastering Sheridan’s dialogue, previously telling PEOPLE that the role helped her confront both her dyslexia and anxiety because of the preparation required.
    — Deirdre Durkan, PEOPLE, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Saldaña has also spoken about the challenge of mastering Sheridan's dialogue, previously telling People that the role helped her confront both her dyslexia and anxiety because of the preparation required.
    — Danielle Minnetian, FOXNews.com, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of mastering
Verb
  • The downside is that the active ingredients can trigger stinging, breakouts or reactions in people with sensitive skin.
    — Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 30 July 2026
  • The 21-year-old grows more confident when starting on the left wing, stinging the outside of Rosenborg’s goalpost wth a solid effort in the 28th minute.
    — Carl Anka, New York Times, 25 July 2026
Definition of stinging
Verb
  • The government has intensified firefighting efforts across Sumatra and Borneo islands, deploying more than 35 aircraft including water-bombing helicopters and patrol airplanes.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 11 Aug. 2026
  • In 2003, Libya formally took responsibility for bombing Pan Am 103.
    — Keith Langston, PEOPLE, 30 July 2026
Definition of bombing
Verb
  • Even had Guardiola stayed on, City would probably be playing a more direct brand of football next season, with players more suited to beating a man and covering ground than playing a thousand million passes.
    — Sam Lee, New York Times, 11 Aug. 2026
  • He was initially handed a 3 1/2-year sentence in 2022 when he was convicted of beating a police officer after being taken off a train for causing a disturbance.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of beating
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.

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Cite this Entry

“Skunking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/skunking. Accessed 14 Aug. 2026.

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