as in courage
the strength of mind that enables a person to endure pain or hardship
had the spunk to overcome a severe physical disability
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of spunk
Savannah Guthrie and her two siblings issued an emotional plea on Instagram for their mom's return, citing her spunk, her loving personality and her vulnerability.
—
Helen Rummel, AZCentral.com, 4 Feb. 2026
Animal-print chairs maintain a bit of spunk in the now bright, airy rooms, as do ornate dark wood bedside tables.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Jan. 2026
Each design also has its own energy and spunk!
—Ingrid Vasquez, PEOPLE, 15 Dec. 2025
Dallas’ defense showed some spunk, even factoring in the matchup against an offense that ranked 30th in the NFL coming into the game.
—Lawrence Dow, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 18 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for spunk
Helen Rummel, AZCentral.com, 4 Feb. 2026
Animal-print chairs maintain a bit of spunk in the now bright, airy rooms, as do ornate dark wood bedside tables.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Jan. 2026
Each design also has its own energy and spunk!
—Ingrid Vasquez, PEOPLE, 15 Dec. 2025
Dallas’ defense showed some spunk, even factoring in the matchup against an offense that ranked 30th in the NFL coming into the game.
—Lawrence Dow, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 18 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for spunk
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spunk
Noun
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As the moon joins forces with Neptune, inspiration returns in flashes, but its sextile to Uranus supports fresh ideas, emotional breakthroughs and the courage to try something new.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
9 June 2026
-
Strategic courage under uncertainty.—
Carolyn Dewar,
Fortune,
9 June 2026
Noun
-
Renegade is a closer, and Pletcher has been open about how much grit his horse showed in the Derby, righting himself to run a game second after suffering a few bumps in the early traffic.—
Guy Martin,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2026
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Saucy shrimp with the just-right amount of Cajun spice served over creamy cheese grits are truly a match made in heaven.—
Kimberly Holland,
Southern Living,
5 June 2026
Noun
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The Spurs responded with their best game of the series, a 115-111 win that required lots of mental fortitude and, in the end, sent Knicks fans home quiet.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
11 June 2026
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Tate projected a credo of masculine excellence that revolved around self-discipline, physical prowess, and mental fortitude.—
Heidi Blake,
New Yorker,
8 June 2026
Noun
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City leaders commended the bravery of the emergency personnel who performed the search during large surf, powerful currents and limited underwater visibility.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
10 June 2026
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Andrew Johns, one of rugby league's greatest players, said the bravery Evans had shown would be encouraging for other people.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
8 June 2026
Noun
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As of now, winning on the ground comes down to mastering masking transitions, managing stamina and your fighter's ground prowess.—
Brian Mazique,
Forbes.com,
13 June 2026
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This can help delay fatigue and maintain stamina.—
Jacqueline Howard,
CNN Money,
13 June 2026
Noun
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That mix of stubbornness and courageousness is what endeared Snider to fans and peers alike.—
Joseph Hudak,
Rolling Stone,
15 Nov. 2025
Noun
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According to Harvard Health, travel disrupts the body’s natural rhythms — time changes, altered eating schedules, poor sleep — which upsets digestion, especially in people with already-sensitive guts.—
Ryan Brennan,
Kansas City Star,
12 June 2026
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Just me, Harrison Ford, and Michael Urie singing our guts out.—
Pete Hammond,
Deadline,
11 June 2026
Noun
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This World Cup, like Yamal’s sentiments, reflects FIFA’s determination to chart a new course and, as its critics charge, a disregard for the sport’s past and its millions of fans.—
Scott M. Reid,
Oc Register,
10 June 2026
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The determination concludes a six-month investigation by the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division into Davis Med’s admissions practices, which found the school guilty of violating a landmark 2023 Supreme Court decision that banned affirmative action in university admissions.—
Sophia Mandt,
The Washington Examiner,
10 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Spunk.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spunk. Accessed 14 Jun. 2026.
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