PUNK Synonyms: 456 Similar and Opposite Words

punk 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of punk

as in unacceptable

falling short of a standard she plays a punk game of tennis, so you won't have any trouble beating her

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in terrible

extremely unsatisfactory the acting in the movie ranged all the way from poor to punk

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in sick

temporarily suffering from a disorder of the body I've been feeling punk today

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punk

2 of 2

noun

ˈpəŋk

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

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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

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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

Adjective

Ross Cullen of the post-punk industrial dance duo Chalk, which was formed in Belfast, Northern Ireland, brought a Goth aesthetic to the Lollapalooza stage. — Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 31 July 2026 Described as Superbad meets Derry Girls, Bender is based on the late-’70s, post-punk Dublin experiences of Adrian Cunningham, who penned the script with Belfast writer/comedian Ciaran Bartlett. — Matt Grobar, Deadline, 26 June 2026

Noun

His early work grew from punk, hardcore, and heavy music, where unconventional locations were often part of getting a show off the ground. — Svetlana Khachiyan, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026 In addition, this year marks the 50th anniversary of the punk band’s first album. — Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 26 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for punk

Recent Examples of Synonyms for punk

Adjective

That explanation, which was given to Quatraro on the field, clearly was unacceptable to the Royals manager.

— Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 2 Sep. 2026
Both noted that any sort of political violence is unacceptable.

— Rachel Royster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of unacceptable

Adjective

Whether the outcome will be terrible or beautiful is unclear.

— Robert Rubsam, New Yorker, 2 Sep. 2026
Feral pigeons are famously terrible nest builders and are drawn to buildings and roofs with features like solar panels, chimneys, eaves, and AC units to make their homes.

— Molly Burford, Southern Living, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of terrible

Adjective

Some recalls, Eskin said, are made after companies’ routine testing catches a pathogen before anyone gets sick, while others involve outbreaks that are already underway and vary widely in size and severity.

— Dian Zhang, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026
Sanchez also ordered a meal from Taco Bell, but didn’t get sick.

— Rebecca Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of sick

Noun

Since achieving widespread fame in 2013, Rettig has overseen gatherings that have introduced thousands of novices to toad smoking.

— The Week US, TheWeek, 2 Sep. 2026
What would have taken a novice lapsed coder like me hours of time struggling with physics models and code references was already in a functional, ready-to-test state with minimal effort.

— Kyle Orland, ArsTechnica, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of novice

Noun

The eponymous former assassin is drawn back into the game after some thugs (led by Alfie Allen) kill his dog and royally piss him off.

— Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 14 Aug. 2026
Tae-ha’s mom left him after Sang-gil, who was also a boxer prior to becoming a thug, cheated in a match.

— Kayti Burt, Time, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of thug

Noun

The government still has not come up with a solution to the mountainous piles of rotting garbage that accumulate on the streets for months.

— Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 31 Aug. 2026
One of the nurses tried to cover up the error by fishing the empty bottle of the muscle relaxant out of the garbage and taking it home.

— Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of garbage

Adjective

Anne Hathaway is a leftist, woke, horrible choice for DAYS OF THUNDER NASCAR audience who are MAGA.

— James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 31 Aug. 2026
These two rubber bands in our throat are affected by everything from hormones to psychology to a bad day to a horrible night’s sleep to the sniffles or whatever.

— Marissa R. Moss, Rolling Stone, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of horrible

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“Punk.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/punk. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of punk

adjective

noun

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