punk
1 of 3noun (1)
ˈpəŋk 
plural punks
1
: a usually petty gangster, hoodlum, or ruffian
2
a
: punk rock
b
: a punk rock musician
c
: one who affects punk styles
3
a
: a young inexperienced person : beginner, novice
especially : a young man
b
slang : a young man used as a sexual partner by another man especially in a prison
4
[probably partly from punk entry 3] : nonsense, foolishness
5
archaic : prostitute
punk
2 of 3adjective
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
punkish
ˈpəŋ-kish
adjective punk
3 of 3noun (2)
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
Synonyms
Noun (1)
- abecedarian
- apprentice
- babe
- beginner
- colt
- cub
- fledgling
- freshman
- greenhorn
- neophyte
- newbie
- newcomer
- novice
- novitiate
- recruit
- rook
- rookie
- tenderfoot
- tyro
- virgin
Adjective
- bad
- bastard
- bush
- bush-league
- crummy
- crumby
- deficient
- dissatisfactory
- ill
- inferior
- lame
- lousy
- off
- paltry
- poor
- sour
- suboptimal
- subpar
- substandard
- unacceptable
- unsatisfactory
- wack [slang]
- wanting
- wretched
- wrong
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
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
Word History
Etymology
Noun (1)
origin unknown
Noun (2)
perhaps alteration of spunk
First Known Use
Noun (1)
circa 1575, in the meaning defined at sense 5
Adjective
1896, in the meaning defined at sense 2
Noun (2)
1678, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Phrases Containing punk
Kids Definition
punk
noun
ˈpəŋk
: a rude and violent young man
punk 1 of 2
adjective
1
as in lame
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
- lame
- wrong
- unacceptable
- poor
- bastard
- bad
- sour
- brutal
- deficient
- pathetic
- horrible
- bush
- flawed
- awful
- off
- terrible
- wack
- disastrous
- wretched
- wanting
- ill
- crummy
- from hunger
- rotten
- lacking
- dreadful
- unsatisfactory
- inferior
- substandard
- bush-league
- lousy
- below par
- suboptimal
- crumby
- defective
- stinky
- bum
- subpar
- gnarly
- under par
- dissatisfactory
- short
- inadequate
- gross
- useless
- vile
- trashy
- worthless
- miserable
- paltry
- detestable
- unspeakable
- lesser
- junky
- damnable
- sleazy
- flagrant
- deplorable
- cheesy
- common
- faulty
- coarse
- execrable
- atrocious
- miscreant
- crappy
- bitchin'
- abysmal
- sucky
- insufficient
- egregious
- low-rent
- mediocre
- shabby
- abominable
- villainous
- shoddy
- horrendous
- reprehensible
- odious
- mean
- valueless
- fake
- low-grade
- scurrilous
- skimpy
- spare
- second-rate
- phony
- rubbishy
- cut-rate
- counterfeit
- miserly
- sham
- scanty
- stingy
- meager
- phoney
- niggardly
- skimp
- meagre
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- classical
- classic
- standard
- acceptable
- fine
- respectable
- okay
- decent
- adequate
- satisfactory
- great
- tolerable
- better
- prime
- passable
- dandy
- superior
- grand
- divine
- noble
- perfect
- slick
- mean
- top
- excellent
- special
- sensational
- capital
- neat
- banner
- groovy
- wonderful
- boss
- splendid
- sterling
- stellar
- par excellence
- exceptional
- premium
- terrific
- average
- choice
- swell
- superlative
- all right
- fabulous
- heavenly
- minimal
- marvellous
- keen
- fancy
- superb
- supernal
- sufficient
- marvelous
- nifty
- borderline
- exceptional
- unsurpassed
- fair
- worthy
- mediocre
- useful
- suitable
- middling
- OK
- crackerjack
- high-test
- first-rate
- unexceptional
- bang-up
- top-notch
- first-class
- jim-dandy
- A1
- high-grade
- tip-top
- satisfying
- gratifying
- so-so
2
as in horrible
extremely unsatisfactory the acting in the movie ranged all the way from poor to punk Synonyms & Similar Words
- horrible
- terrible
- rotten
- poor
- awful
- wretched
- bad
- defective
- sucky
- execrable
- atrocious
- dismal
- lousy
- bum
- lacking
- off
- wanting
- flawed
- inadequate
- contemptible
- miserable
- worthless
- shameful
- insufficient
- deficient
- inferior
- substandard
- useless
- faulty
- mediocre
- vile
- reprehensible
- damnable
- low-grade
- valueless
- second-rate
- abominable
- fiendish
- odious
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- great
- prime
- wonderful
- superior
- marvellous
- bitchin'
- excellent
- premium
- marvelous
- choice
- exceptional
- acceptable
- adequate
- first-rate
- sufficient
- first-class
- satisfactory
3
as in sick
temporarily suffering from a disorder of the body I've been feeling punk today Synonyms & Similar Words
- sick
- bad
- poorly
- down
- ill
- unhealthy
- ailing
- under the weather
- peaky
- weak
- unwell
- dizzy
- seedy
- run-down
- out of sorts
- peaked
- shaky
- troubled
- lame
- sickened
- unsound
- symptomatic
- indisposed
- fragile
- diseased
- disabled
- woozy
- decrepit
- sickish
- lousy
- feeble
- squeamish
- cruddy
- frail
- feverish
- sickly
- airsick
- weakly
- disordered
- queasy
- challenged
- seasick
- hypochondriacal
- nauseous
- qualmish
- hypochondriac
- nauseated
- afflicted
- infirm
- achy
- carsick
- invalid
- incapacitated
- debilitated
- queazy
- halt
- light-headed
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- sound
- whole
- well
- wholesome
- healthy
- healthful
- hale
- better
- fit
- conditioned
- recovering
- cured
- lusty
- tough
- stalwart
- hardy
- strong
- hearty
- rugged
- flourishing
- thriving
- mending
- bouncing
- improved
- chipper
- able-bodied
- robust
- well-conditioned
- blooming
- rehabilitated
- flush
- recuperating
- convalescing
punk
2 of 2noun
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
- novice
- rookie
- newcomer
- apprentice
- freshman
- beginner
- virgin
- fledgling
- student
- neophyte
- greenhorn
- newbie
- cub
- babe
- rook
- tyro
- colt
- amateur
- tenderfoot
- recruit
- boot
- novitiate
- abecedarian
- dilettante
- candidate
- learner
- trainee
- dabbler
- entrant
- probationer
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- veteran
- pro
- vet
- old-timer
- professional
- old hand
- master
- expert
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
- thug
- criminal
- gangster
- bandit
- hooligan
- pirate
- hoodlum
- gangsta
- villain
- gangbanger
- ruffian
- rowdy
- assassin
- mobster
- roughneck
- goon
- thief
- yob
- offender
- bully
- tough
- gorilla
- hood
- yobbo
- toughie
- plug-ugly
- outlaw
- scoundrel
- toughy
- cutthroat
- mafioso
- perpetrator
- vandal
- brigand
- robber
- desperado
- felon
- perp
- lawbreaker
- highwayman
- racketeer
- crook
- mug
- pickpocket
- swindler
- gunman
- malefactor
- juvenile delinquent
- bravo
- tearaway
3
as in jazz
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
- jazz
- garbage
- nonsense
- nuts
- rubbish
- stupidity
- silliness
- blah
- trash
- drool
- craziness
- muck
- insanity
- bunk
- foolishness
- beans
- madness
- baloney
- fiddle
- bull
- rot
- claptrap
- guff
- twaddle
- humbuggery
- bilge
- crock
- hokum
- balderdash
- boloney
- fiddlesticks
- flapdoodle
- malarkey
- blatherskite
- blither
- fudge
- tosh
- tommyrot
- trumpery
- greek
- horsefeathers
- drivel
- piffle
- blather
- bosh
- malarky
- hogwash
- hoodoo
- absurdity
- flannel
- fiddle-faddle
- falderal
- bunkum
- folderol
- applesauce
- nerts
- hooey
- crapola
- buncombe
- blarney
- poppycock
- blah-blah
- tarradiddle
- folly
- moonshine
- idiocy
- hokeypokey
- codswallop
- taradiddle
- senselessness
- humbug
- gas
- slush
- absurdness
- kookiness
- lunacy
- tomfoolery
- foolery
- imbecility
- inanity
- inaneness
- monkey business
- witlessness
- fatuity
- hot air
- asininity
- rigmarole
- monkeyshine(s)
- shenanigan(s)
- hoity-toity
- rigamarole
- hocus-pocus
- double-talk
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- rationality
- sensibleness
- sense
- reasonableness
- horse sense
- levelheadedness
- reasonability
- wisdom
- judgement
- judgment
- common sense
- discernment