as in courage
the strength of mind that enables a person to endure pain or hardship
had the spunk to overcome a severe physical disability
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of spunk
Savannah Guthrie and her two siblings issued an emotional plea on Instagram for their mom's return, citing her spunk, her loving personality and her vulnerability.
—
Helen Rummel, AZCentral.com, 4 Feb. 2026
Animal-print chairs maintain a bit of spunk in the now bright, airy rooms, as do ornate dark wood bedside tables.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Jan. 2026
Each design also has its own energy and spunk!
—Ingrid Vasquez, PEOPLE, 15 Dec. 2025
Dallas’ defense showed some spunk, even factoring in the matchup against an offense that ranked 30th in the NFL coming into the game.
—Lawrence Dow, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 18 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for spunk
Helen Rummel, AZCentral.com, 4 Feb. 2026
Animal-print chairs maintain a bit of spunk in the now bright, airy rooms, as do ornate dark wood bedside tables.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Jan. 2026
Each design also has its own energy and spunk!
—Ingrid Vasquez, PEOPLE, 15 Dec. 2025
Dallas’ defense showed some spunk, even factoring in the matchup against an offense that ranked 30th in the NFL coming into the game.
—Lawrence Dow, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 18 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for spunk
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spunk
Noun
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The farmworkers' rights movement has always been powered by courage, by people willing to endure, to speak out, to demand dignity in the face of injustice.—
Luzdelia Caballero,
CBS News,
31 Mar. 2026
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But if worthiness is measured by the courage to lead, the humility to listen, the wisdom to hold complexity and the sacred responsibility of walking with people through joy, loss and transformation, then women’s rabbinic leadership has already outgrown the narrow metrics of any centralized system.—
Rabba Sara Hurwitz,
Sun Sentinel,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Then men had the grit, the unfathomable grit, to claw back from a 19-point deficit to win one of the most dramatic games in the history of either team.—
Dom Amore,
Hartford Courant,
30 Mar. 2026
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Lucky Strike is a visceral, emotionally resonant film that reminds us of the grit and ingenuity required to preserve our freedom.—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The two-part conversation will air on March 26 and 27 and provide more information on Guthrie’s faith and fortitude during this time.—
Fran Hoepfner,
Vulture,
25 Mar. 2026
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So if nothing else, this was a test of mental fortitude.—
Noah White,
Miami Herald,
21 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Minor acts of bravery mean a lot right now.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
26 Mar. 2026
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The jury saw the truth and recognized the bravery Donna showed in standing up for herself.—
Nancy Dillon,
Rolling Stone,
23 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Kids will learn how to do circus tricks and build stamina along the way.—
Jessie Dax-Setkus,
Oc Register,
22 Mar. 2026
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Even up 4-1 in the final 15 minutes, the Rapids kept pushing past the limits of stamina to find a fifth goal, both in the press and in the buildup.—
Braidon Nourse,
Denver Post,
22 Mar. 2026
Noun
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That mix of stubbornness and courageousness is what endeared Snider to fans and peers alike.—
Joseph Hudak,
Rolling Stone,
15 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Many grasses evolved to be partly dispersed by herbivorous mammals, the seeds passing through guts with the bulky leafy tissue.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
25 Mar. 2026
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Alloway’s debut is a beautiful disaster that even at its weakest points has just enough glamor and guts to justify most genre girlies taking the journey eventually.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
25 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The original footage showed something remarkable — dogs acting with coordination, loyalty, and determination that stunned viewers.—
Hanna Wickes,
Charlotte Observer,
25 Mar. 2026
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Cloverleaf is waiting for final determination from Evergy about how much power the site would be able to use, which could impact the number of jobs.—
Chris Higgins,
Kansas City Star,
25 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Spunk.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spunk. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
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