SPUNK Synonyms: 61 Similar and Opposite Words

spunk

noun

ˈspəŋk

Definition of spunk

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 spunk Grossmont showed some spunk, rallying for three runs in the bottom of the inning. — Don Norcross, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Apr. 2026 Still, the Marty Supreme star and Best Actor nominee brought the same spunk and confidence to the red carpet that his on-screen counterpart brought to the ping-pong table. — Brett F. Braley-Palko, Forbes.com, 15 Mar. 2026 But by the time of his individual short program Tuesday night, Malinin's fearless swagger and unrivaled spunk was back. — CBS News, 13 Feb. 2026 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 See All Example Sentences for spunk

Recent Examples of Synonyms for spunk

Noun

Independence gave us the courage to cross the last threshold.

— Amelia Rose Barlow, Rolling Stone, 22 Oct. 2026
Michael Haneke’s adaptation of The Piano Teacher gives me courage.

— Emily Temple, Literary Hub, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of courage

Noun

Cornbread, barbecue chicken, grits and seasonal market vegetables now showcase Brock’s inventive, soulful cooking — and have brought diners back to the restaurant.

— Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026
The art of assemblage, a cobbling together of things with glue, glitter, and grit, became a way of life.

— Leslie Camhi, New Yorker, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of grit

Noun

But more importantly — and what comes with age — is having the fortitude not to follow them.

— Judith Martin, Sun Sentinel, 19 Sep. 2026
That mental fortitude stood out to Green during a minor-league game in which Voit started 0-for-4 with three strikeouts.

— Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 14 Sep. 2026

Definition of fortitude

Noun

But a rally outside Wednesday's meet — where the boy finished second among a field of 25 to help lead Camas to the girls district championship — showed that the adults are catching up in the bravery department.

— Matt Calkins OutKick, FOXNews.com, 23 Oct. 2026
As possibly the most thrilling option in the entire park, the free-fall station tests visitors’ bravery.

— Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of bravery

Noun

That left Daniela Avanzini, Lara Raj, Megan Skiendiel and Yoonchae Jeung to carry a 19-song show that demanded extraordinary stamina, with relentless choreography executed in everything from chunky platform boots to precarious-looking silver heels.

— Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 20 Oct. 2026
Under that gorgeous screen, the watch is packed with 32GB of storage, tons of sports modes to track your activities, and a myriad of other metrics, including overall stamina, sleep, VO2 max, recovery insights, and even wrist power.

— Kelsey Fogarty, PC Magazine, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of stamina

Noun

Finally, the guts are removed and filets are cut, skin optional.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026
For their version, which follows a young teen boy (Bean Reid’s Sam) who works to find his missing brother in a town haunted by an evil crop curse, the answer was pumpkin guts.

— Abbey White, HollywoodReporter, 18 Oct. 2026

Definition of guts

Noun

Sandy’s medical expenses were submitted to Kaiser for possible reimbursement; a determination remains pending.

— Lance B. Fulford, Fortune, 25 Oct. 2026
The federal government will then issue its final determinations, and what happens next will be unexplored legal territory.

— Rosanna Xia, Los Angeles Times, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of determination

Browse Nearby Words

spun

spunk

spunkily

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Spunk.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spunk. Accessed 26 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of spunk

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

disparate

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Can' vs. 'May'

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE

Popular

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes