as in dog
a person whose behavior is offensive to others
he's nothing but a dirty, rotten skunk
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to bomb
to defeat by a large margin
we ended up skunking them, as our goalie was able to prevent the other team from scoring a single goal
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in to defeat
to achieve a victory over
our football team consistently skunks our traditional rivals Thanksgiving after Thanksgiving
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to sting
to rob by the use of trickery or threats
unwilling to let suppliers skunk him, the restaurant owner inspected every shipment before signing off on it
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Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of skunk
Patrick Salland, Kansas City Star, 5 June 2025
Until then, the best chance to see them is at the skunk training demonstrations in The Loft at 2:30 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday.
—Lauren Penington, Denver Post, 4 June 2025
Kyle Newman, The Denver Post, 10 Sep. 2024
The premise was that the Minnesota Timberwolves were trying to reconnect in this series after getting skunked twice at home.
—Troy Renck, The Denver Post, 15 May 2024
See All Example Sentences for skunk
Noun
Wafting down the normally quiet halls were the sounds of whistles, shouting— and the unmistakable smell of a skunk.
—Patrick Salland, Kansas City Star, 5 June 2025
Until then, the best chance to see them is at the skunk training demonstrations in The Loft at 2:30 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday.
—Lauren Penington, Denver Post, 4 June 2025
Verb
Facing a rookie pitcher in the opener of a three-game series at Comerica Park, Colorado got skunked 11-0 in a blowout that goes down as one of the most embarrassing losses in a season full of them.
—Kyle Newman, The Denver Post, 10 Sep. 2024
The premise was that the Minnesota Timberwolves were trying to reconnect in this series after getting skunked twice at home.
—Troy Renck, The Denver Post, 15 May 2024
See All Example Sentences for skunk
Recent Examples of Synonyms for skunk
Noun
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Police brought in hundreds of law enforcement personnel with dogs, armored carriers, horses and helicopters that circled overhead.—
Maryclaire Dale, Marc Levy and Michael Rubinkam,
Anchorage Daily News,
13 Sep. 2023
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Responding officers found the dog, and advised the owner to take the dog in.—
cleveland,
cleveland,
13 Sep. 2023
Verb
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Israel also bombed Iran’s main nuclear enrichment facility, Natanz.—
Paul Iddon,
Forbes.com,
13 June 2025
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Several of the Dodgers’ depth starters have bombed out, such as Landon Knack, Bobby Miller and Justin Wrobleski (who was originally scheduled to start Wednesday’s game).—
Fabian Ardaya,
New York Times,
11 June 2025
Verb
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This article gives her plenty of credit for defeating Sabalenka.—
James Hansen,
New York Times,
21 June 2025
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Leon made the team, and Canada went on to defeat Sweden in penalty kicks for the country’s first-ever Olympic gold medal in women’s soccer.—
Fernando Ramirez,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
21 June 2025
Verb
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What to know: Free to enter; no lifeguards or facilities and the salty water can sting cuts or irritate sensitive skin.—
Allison Palmer,
Sacbee.com,
17 June 2025
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The Atlanta Braves have won consecutive series since dropping six in a row, though losing Sunday’s series finale to the Rockies despite Grant Holmes’ 15 strikeouts stung.—
Tim Britton,
New York Times,
16 June 2025
Verb
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First, Nurse smoked a left circle wrister over Bobrovsky’s shoulder and just inside the left post at 7:13.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
13 June 2025
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The Doobie Brothers have walked, run, and smoked down the highway for a very long time.—
Devon Ivie,
Vulture,
11 June 2025
Verb
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The tournament is serving as a trial run for FIFA to master the quality of its playing surfaces ahead of the men’s World Cup next year.—
Melanie Anzidei,
New York Times,
14 June 2025
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Since making his season debut, Betts has been working to master the shortstop position and suffered a fractured toe.—
Peter Chawaga,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 June 2025
Verb
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Iran's response: cheating and hiding its nuclear weapons program; sprinting toward a bomb; and trying to assassinate senior American officials, including President Trump.—
Shane Croucher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 June 2025
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Trouble is, the elder Broadway managed to cheat St. Christopher out of his share of the plunder.—
Joe Leydon,
Variety,
13 June 2025
Noun
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Among the players connected to the disappearance are a wide and varied cast of Austin characters: an up-and-coming boxer who crossed the border from Mexico under strange circumstances, a rookie cop determined to crack the case, a grifter clown (figurative and literal).—
Lucas Schaefer
June 13,
Literary Hub,
13 June 2025
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As the animals fought, brass bands played and clowns entertained.—
Hailey Branson-Potts,
Los Angeles Times,
3 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Skunk.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/skunk. Accessed 26 Jun. 2025.
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