plural punks
1
: a usually petty gangster, hoodlum, or ruffian
2
3
4
[probably partly from punk entry 3]
: nonsense, foolishness
5
archaic
: a woman who engages in sex acts and especially sexual intercourse in exchange for pay : a woman who is a sex worker
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
Examples of punk in a Sentence
Noun (1)
an impertinent punk who was trying to tell senior colleagues how to do their jobs
the vigilante was hailed by some as a hero for standing up to the punks who had repeatedly threatened his family
claims made by cosmetic companies about their antiaging creams that turned out to be a lot of punk
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
Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times, 14 Mar. 2025
But after a few years there, the punk front man moved about a ten-minute walk away into a studio apartment at 115 East 9th Street, a 20-story postwar high-rise.
—Kim Velsey, Curbed, 28 Feb. 2025
Debbie Day, EW.com, 19 Mar. 2025
Anjana Vasan stars in the tale of an all-female Muslim punk band in the U.K.
—Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 18 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for punk
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Adjective
The Getty has acquired the archive of American artist Raymond Pettibon, best known for his punk aesthetic and documentation of the rock ‘n’ roll scene in Southern California in the 1980s.
—Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times, 14 Mar. 2025
But after a few years there, the punk front man moved about a ten-minute walk away into a studio apartment at 115 East 9th Street, a 20-story postwar high-rise.
—Kim Velsey, Curbed, 28 Feb. 2025
Noun
Reports that the punk band was banned from Musk's social media platform have been greatly exaggerated, singer Ken Casey says.
—Debbie Day, EW.com, 19 Mar. 2025
Anjana Vasan stars in the tale of an all-female Muslim punk band in the U.K.
—Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 18 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for punk
Cite this Entry
“Punk.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/punk. Accessed 27 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids 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
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