1
as in unacceptable
falling short of a standard
she plays a punk game of tennis, so you won't have any trouble beating her
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in horrible
extremely unsatisfactory
the acting in the movie ranged all the way from poor to punk
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in sick
temporarily suffering from a disorder of the body
I've been feeling punk today
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in novice
a person who is just starting out in a field of activity
an impertinent punk who was trying to tell senior colleagues how to do their jobs
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in thug
a violent, brutal person who is often a member of an organized gang
the vigilante was hailed by some as a hero for standing up to the punks who had repeatedly threatened his family
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in garbage
language, behavior, or ideas that are absurd and contrary to good sense
claims made by cosmetic companies about their antiaging creams that turned out to be a lot of punk
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 punk
India Espy-Jones, Essence, 10 Dec. 2024
The Ramones helped bring punk music to the masses beginning in the mid-70s.
—Hugh McIntyre, Forbes, 30 Sep. 2024
Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 15 Mar. 2025
The lead singer of the Celtic punk band Dropkick Murphys challenged a man in a MAGA shirt to whether it was made in the USA or not.
—William Lambers, Newsweek, 10 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for punk
Adjective
The five smudge shades are named after punk music culture.
—Noun
There are other ways to chase the snakes out of Ireland, like with a bunch of hardcore punk bands raising a ruckus at the intimate Cafe Nine on March 17 at 8 p.m. with B Bound, Trench, No Honor Among Thieves and Skot.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for punk
Adjective
-
Restaurants rated unacceptable must close to fix their issues and require reinspection prior to reopening.—
-
Americans heading into the 2026 and 2028 elections with a less secure system than in 2020 or 2024 is an unacceptable and avoidable step backward.—
Adjective
-
Those plans are HMOs and many of us remember how horrible those were, denying service, or stalling approval.—
-
Lillard’s blood clot diagnosis continues a horrible stretch of injuries that has limited the Bucks’ ability to chase postseason glory since the Bucks ended the franchise’s 50-year championship drought by winning the 2021 NBA title.—
Adjective
-
This has not been a good week for United, which was also accused of trying to shut off the ventilator of a sick one-year-old child.—
-
By many accounts, Planned Parenthood is an incurably sick beast whose time is nearing its end.—
Noun
-
In manufacturing, experienced operators can detect potential equipment failures through subtle changes in vibration or sound that novices might overlook.—
-
Of course, novice physicians may face similar difficulties.—
Noun
-
Jesse, understandably, has become more defensive about antisemitism since he was brutally attacked by thugs who singled him out for being Jewish.—
-
The hundreds of attacks being made by Houthi, the sinister mobsters and thugs based in Yemen, who are hated by the Yemeni people, all emanate from, and are created by, IRAN.—
Noun
-
The organization also sampled 25 different polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, organic compounds that form when oil, wood or garbage burns.—
-
Town Councilman Tim Clayton said the new fee, which will be charged to residential customers, will be effective April 1 and is part of a contractual agreement with Republic Services, the town’s garbage/recycling carrier.—
Adjective
-
In the case of the Ruscha photographs, computer vision was simply wrong.—
-
It’s been more than two years since a fiery derailment in rural Ohio made Norfolk Southern and the village of East Palestine household names for all the wrong reasons.—
Adjective
-
This is great news for our model but terrible for upsets.—
-
The domestic box office is presently in a terrible state, and Minecraft could prove to be the shot of confidence Hollywood studios and cinema owners need after recent films, including Disney’s Snow White, have turned into major disappointments.—
Cite this Entry
“Punk.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/punk. Accessed 7 Apr. 2025.
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share