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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of spunk
Those recordings hold up for their crystalline sound and youthful spunk.
—
Mark Swed, Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2025
Further, students should embrace their true voice in the letter, showing their quirks, personality, and spunk.
—Christopher Rim, Forbes.com, 27 Mar. 2025
Like things could change for the better if only a few teenagers with the right balance of spunk and smarts showed up.
—Lizz Schumer, People.com, 18 Mar. 2025
Think of Usher’s costume-leaning spunk, Erykah Badu’s eccentricity, Teyana Taylor’s punk sensibility, Lauryn Hill’s just-go-for-it attitude, and Gunna who is experimental at times.
—Julian Randall, Essence, 12 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for spunk
Mark Swed, Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2025
Further, students should embrace their true voice in the letter, showing their quirks, personality, and spunk.
—Christopher Rim, Forbes.com, 27 Mar. 2025
Like things could change for the better if only a few teenagers with the right balance of spunk and smarts showed up.
—Lizz Schumer, People.com, 18 Mar. 2025
Think of Usher’s costume-leaning spunk, Erykah Badu’s eccentricity, Teyana Taylor’s punk sensibility, Lauryn Hill’s just-go-for-it attitude, and Gunna who is experimental at times.
—Julian Randall, Essence, 12 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for spunk
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spunk
Noun
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Right now, people want moral courage and clear calls to action.—
Sarah Stankorb,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Oct. 2025
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Even in antiquity, some thinkers embodied this courage.—
Shai Tubali,
Big Think,
30 Sep. 2025
Noun
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In fact, the team has shown plenty of grit through four games thus far.—
James Brizuela,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 Sep. 2025
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On the menu, find everything from crawfish eggrolls to Cajun shrimp and grits to burgers to pork chops.—
Tara Massouleh McCay,
Southern Living,
27 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Their fortitude resulted in a thoughtful, lyrically dense project that ‘Nandez likens to a collection of personal and political anecdotes rapped on production that Preservation built around ‘Nandez baritone vocal tone.—
Andre Gee,
Rolling Stone,
30 Sep. 2025
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But the trip is going to be an extreme test of fortitude, fate, and faith, evidenced by Lionsgate's preview revealing obstacles including a hellish radiation storm, monster waves, meteors pummeling the Earth, and lethal bands of desperate survivors prowling the continent.—
Jeff Spry,
Space.com,
30 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Shepp announced that Veal earned the rare Girl Scout Saving Award, an accolade reserved for monumental acts of bravery; Veal, along with her mother, helped save the life of a Sand City Beach fisherman who lost his footing and collapsed, pulling him ashore.—
Brock Keeling,
Oc Register,
30 Sep. 2025
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The mass shooting and fire could have been deadlier if not for the bravery of those who risked their lives to save others, Danic said.—
Zoe Sottile,
CNN Money,
30 Sep. 2025
Noun
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What matters now is building stamina, not chasing another rush.—
Aman Ghei,
Fortune,
27 Sep. 2025
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In her view, self-care is the key to maintaining your focus and stamina.—
Sophie Caldwell,
CNBC,
25 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Instead, the severity of Barkov’s injury hit Finland’s Olympic hockey team like a punch in the guts.—
Pierre LeBrun,
New York Times,
1 Oct. 2025
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But with some notable exceptions, particularly during the 1968 Tet Offensive, network news cameras generally got nowhere close enough to combat in order to film blood, guts, and gore.—
Time,
Time,
20 Sep. 2025
Noun
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State law requires licensers to provide initial determinations within 90 days.—
Max Rego,
The Hill,
1 Oct. 2025
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While her wit, charm and determination bring her attention, her collapsing health, social prejudice and family tensions conspire against her.—
Emiliano De Pablos,
Variety,
1 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Spunk.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spunk. Accessed 5 Oct. 2025.
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