Copy Citation
Hear a word and type it out. How many can you get right?
TAKE THE QUIZ
plural punks
1
: a usually petty gangster, hoodlum, or ruffian
2
3
4
[probably partly from punk entry 3]
: nonsense, foolishness
5
archaic
: prostitute
1
a
: of or relating to punk rock
b
: relating to or being a style (as of dress or hair) inspired by punk rock
2
: very poor : inferior
played a punk game
3
: being in poor health
said that she was feeling punk
1
: wood so decayed as to be dry, crumbly, and useful for tinder
2
: a preparation (as of a stick of coated wood) that burns slowly and is used to ignite fuses especially of fireworks
Synonyms
Example Sentences
Adjective
she plays a punk game of tennis, so you won't have any trouble beating her
the acting in the movie ranged all the way from poor to punk
Recent Examples on the Web
Noah Shachtman, Rolling Stone, 18 Mar. 2023
The English post-punk, new wave band aimed to keep ticket costs affordable, with some as low as $20.
—Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 16 Mar. 2023
Post-punk legends the Cure will bring the Shows of a Lost World Tour, their first full U.S. tour in seven years, to Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona, on Thursday, May 18, with the Twilight Sad.
—Ed Masley, The Arizona Republic, 9 Mar. 2023
The Cure will be supported by Scottish post-punk band the Twilight Sad at all shows.
—Thania Garcia, Variety, 9 Mar. 2023
The jagged, chaotic, exuberant noise that erupted from their recordings and live performances cemented the band’s place in post-punk legend.
—Melissa Giannini, ELLE, 28 Feb. 2023
Wet Leg, with its deadpan wit and post-punk guitar sound, loosely resembles the B-52s, if Cindy Wilson and Kate Pierson had led the band.
—John Seabrook, The New Yorker, 16 Jan. 2023
The guitarist known for his epic, echoing riffs said the post-punk urgency of the originals has been replaced with intimacy, with new keys, new chords, new tempos and even some new lyrics.
—Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 11 Jan. 2023
The Dublin fivesome deal in the kind of post-punk fatalism that any fan of Joy Division, Wire, and Gang of Four will recognize, but somehow the misery feels fresh on Skinty Fía.
—Leah Greenblatt, Jason Lamphier, EW.com, 9 Dec. 2022
Christian Holub, EW.com, 24 Mar. 2023
Then Pop-punk band Good Charlotte was started by twin brothers Benji and Joel Madden and also included Paul Thomas, Billy Martin and later Dean Butterworth.
—Diane J. Cho, Peoplemag, 18 Mar. 2023
But Les’ vocals are clearer by design, and the music often defaults into trap stomps and emo-punk churn.
—Mosi Reeves, Rolling Stone, 15 Mar. 2023
And just to really stick it to the man, the Texas country-punk band Vandoliers performed last week in Tennessee wearing dresses.
—Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 9 Mar. 2023
Anthony adopts the pop-punk production smoothly here, singing about catching feelings as the guitar line bares its teeth leading into a howl of a hook.
—Starr Bowenbank, Billboard, 6 Mar. 2023
Avril Lavigne’s fashion sense has always perfectly aligned with her pop-punk music: Her wardrobe is all about embodying an edgy, rock and roll attitude.
—Christian Allaire, Vogue, 5 Mar. 2023
Futuristic interview:Why one of Arizona's biggest rappers has taken a pop-punk holiday Reach the reporter at ed.masley@arizonarepublic.com or 602-444-4495.
—Ed Masley, The Arizona Republic, 3 Mar. 2023
Didn’t the hardcore-punk ethos that these Numero 20 bands once burned into our teenage psyches teach us to never retreat?
—Chris Richards, Washington Post, 23 Feb. 2023
See More
Adjective
Think of post-punk scrubbed of all darkness, maybe even art: Trademark echoes were offset by a melodicism that veered on loungey, thrift fashion as bubblegum.
—Noah Shachtman, Rolling Stone, 18 Mar. 2023
The English post-punk, new wave band aimed to keep ticket costs affordable, with some as low as $20.
—Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 16 Mar. 2023
Post-punk legends the Cure will bring the Shows of a Lost World Tour, their first full U.S. tour in seven years, to Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona, on Thursday, May 18, with the Twilight Sad.
—Ed Masley, The Arizona Republic, 9 Mar. 2023
The Cure will be supported by Scottish post-punk band the Twilight Sad at all shows.
—Thania Garcia, Variety, 9 Mar. 2023
The jagged, chaotic, exuberant noise that erupted from their recordings and live performances cemented the band’s place in post-punk legend.
—Melissa Giannini, ELLE, 28 Feb. 2023
Wet Leg, with its deadpan wit and post-punk guitar sound, loosely resembles the B-52s, if Cindy Wilson and Kate Pierson had led the band.
—John Seabrook, The New Yorker, 16 Jan. 2023
The guitarist known for his epic, echoing riffs said the post-punk urgency of the originals has been replaced with intimacy, with new keys, new chords, new tempos and even some new lyrics.
—Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 11 Jan. 2023
The Dublin fivesome deal in the kind of post-punk fatalism that any fan of Joy Division, Wire, and Gang of Four will recognize, but somehow the misery feels fresh on Skinty Fía.
—Leah Greenblatt, Jason Lamphier, EW.com, 9 Dec. 2022
Noun
The divorce was finalized in 2011, just two years after the chart-topping pop-punk act went on a multi-year hiatus.
—Christian Holub, EW.com, 24 Mar. 2023
Then Pop-punk band Good Charlotte was started by twin brothers Benji and Joel Madden and also included Paul Thomas, Billy Martin and later Dean Butterworth.
—Diane J. Cho, Peoplemag, 18 Mar. 2023
But Les’ vocals are clearer by design, and the music often defaults into trap stomps and emo-punk churn.
—Mosi Reeves, Rolling Stone, 15 Mar. 2023
And just to really stick it to the man, the Texas country-punk band Vandoliers performed last week in Tennessee wearing dresses.
—Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 9 Mar. 2023
Anthony adopts the pop-punk production smoothly here, singing about catching feelings as the guitar line bares its teeth leading into a howl of a hook.
—Starr Bowenbank, Billboard, 6 Mar. 2023
Avril Lavigne’s fashion sense has always perfectly aligned with her pop-punk music: Her wardrobe is all about embodying an edgy, rock and roll attitude.
—Christian Allaire, Vogue, 5 Mar. 2023
Futuristic interview:Why one of Arizona's biggest rappers has taken a pop-punk holiday Reach the reporter at ed.masley@arizonarepublic.com or 602-444-4495.
—Ed Masley, The Arizona Republic, 3 Mar. 2023
Didn’t the hardcore-punk ethos that these Numero 20 bands once burned into our teenage psyches teach us to never retreat?
—Chris Richards, Washington Post, 23 Feb. 2023
See More
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'punk.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Word History
Phrases Containing punk
Dictionary Entries Near punk
Cite this Entry
“Punk.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/punk. Accessed 27 Mar. 2023.
Kids Definition
punk
2 of 2 adjective1
: very poor in quality
played a punk game
2
: being in poor health
feeling punk today
3
a
: of or relating to punk rock
b
: relating to or being a style (as of clothing or hair) first inspired by punk rock
Etymology
Noun
origin unknown
More from Merriam-Webster on punk
Britannica English: Translation of punk for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about punk
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
-
- Before we went to her house, Hannah told us her aunt was a flibbertigibbet.
Can you make 12 words with 7 letters?
PLAY
Words at Play
Ask the Editors
Word Games
-
Name That Flower
Can you tell the difference between a lilac and a...
Take the quiz
-
Are You Feeling Lucky?
A charming quiz about fortunate and unfortunate w...
Take the quiz
-
Spell It
Hear a word and type it out. How many can you get...
Take the quiz
-
Spelling Bee Quiz
Can you outdo past winners of the National Spelli...
Take the quiz
Share