1
as in novices
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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in thugs
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
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 punks
Theater is not for punks, okay?
—
Zak Cheney-Rice, Vulture, 13 May 2026
Conversely, maybe the fact that their songs, while impressively self-possessed, weren’t directly confrontational has kept them from being counted as forebears to the feminist punks who would come after.
—Marissa Lorusso, Pitchfork, 3 May 2026
Music zines often had the same format, columns from semi-famous punks, interviews with up-and-coming bands, record reviews, and, always shunted to the back, zine reviews.
—Literary Hub, 23 Apr. 2026
And everyone else was private school punks.
—Mikey O'Connell, HollywoodReporter, 22 Apr. 2026
Their unpermitted April 2021 show at Lafayette Park in Westlake, publicized through social media and word of mouth, drew thousands of pent-up punks and kids looking for somewhere to go during the shutdown.
—Los Angeles Times, 15 Apr. 2026
This decade alone, the same South Minneapolis punks currently protesting in the streets lived through the uprising around George Floyd’s murder and the Nudieland punk house shooting, which resulted in multiple injuries and the death of August Golden.
—Evan Minsker, Rolling Stone, 7 Feb. 2026
Directed by James Buddy Day, 40 Years of F**kin’ Up traces NOFX’s evolution from teenage punks to one of the most influential and polarising bands in modern punk history.
—Jessica Lynch, Billboard, 17 Jan. 2026
For example, in Granada, there is a community of ravers, punks, that have been there since the time of Margaret Thatcher.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 16 Dec. 2025
Zak Cheney-Rice, Vulture, 13 May 2026
Conversely, maybe the fact that their songs, while impressively self-possessed, weren’t directly confrontational has kept them from being counted as forebears to the feminist punks who would come after.
—Marissa Lorusso, Pitchfork, 3 May 2026
Music zines often had the same format, columns from semi-famous punks, interviews with up-and-coming bands, record reviews, and, always shunted to the back, zine reviews.
—Literary Hub, 23 Apr. 2026
And everyone else was private school punks.
—Mikey O'Connell, HollywoodReporter, 22 Apr. 2026
Their unpermitted April 2021 show at Lafayette Park in Westlake, publicized through social media and word of mouth, drew thousands of pent-up punks and kids looking for somewhere to go during the shutdown.
—Los Angeles Times, 15 Apr. 2026
This decade alone, the same South Minneapolis punks currently protesting in the streets lived through the uprising around George Floyd’s murder and the Nudieland punk house shooting, which resulted in multiple injuries and the death of August Golden.
—Evan Minsker, Rolling Stone, 7 Feb. 2026
Directed by James Buddy Day, 40 Years of F**kin’ Up traces NOFX’s evolution from teenage punks to one of the most influential and polarising bands in modern punk history.
—Jessica Lynch, Billboard, 17 Jan. 2026
For example, in Granada, there is a community of ravers, punks, that have been there since the time of Margaret Thatcher.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 16 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for punks
Noun
-
Game after game, stadiums were filled to capacity, packed not only with tourists and die-hard fans but also with soccer novices who came out of curiosity and because tickets were relatively affordable, according to soccer historians.—
Juliana Kim,
NPR,
9 May 2026
-
Both of the Broadway novices are proudly bearing souvenirs of other passion projects.—
Rebecca Rubin,
Variety,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The masked thugs deposit a tearful middle-aged woman in front of Bass, Newsom, and Harris.—
Conor Friedersdorf,
The Atlantic,
12 May 2026
-
White thugs destroyed it in the 1921 Race Massacre.—
Jasmine Desiree,
Los Angeles Times,
12 May 2026
Noun
-
These recipes are great for beginners learning how to cook chicken in a skillet, or for the more experienced chefs looking for new recipes to add to their weekly dinner rotation.—
Mary Shannon Wells,
Southern Living,
13 May 2026
-
Group of beginners, hobbyists and professionals who like to take and share photos.—
Staff Report,
Baltimore Sun,
13 May 2026
Noun
-
When unhoused people are treated as criminals, they are pushed into an identity of exclusion rather than belonging.—
Shianne LeClaire,
Hartford Courant,
17 May 2026
-
That’s the job of law enforcement, who make arrests, judges who sentence criminals to pay for their crimes, and a parole board that cares about public safety.—
Boston Herald editorial staff,
Boston Herald,
15 May 2026
Noun
-
Prime Minister Keir Starmer meets construction apprentices during a visit to London South Bank Technical College on May 12, 2026 in London, England.—
Frank Andrews,
CBS News,
12 May 2026
-
Arthur Bryant’s and Gates Bar-B-Q, whose origins can be traced back to Henry Perry through his apprentices decades ago.—
Chris Higgins,
Kansas City Star,
4 May 2026
Noun
-
In Gray’s taut thriller, set in 1980s Brighton Beach; the Gowanus area of Brooklyn; and Great Neck, Long Island, two brothers (Driver and Teller) fall afoul of Russian gangsters in a rapidly transforming city where high-stakes opportunities for riches also come with a high risk of life and limb.—
Jada Yuan,
HollywoodReporter,
17 May 2026
-
The only ones making money on alcohol now were gangsters.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
12 May 2026
Noun
-
Staff is super attentive and happy to break down the menu to newcomers.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
19 May 2026
-
After the game, roughly half of the Inter Miami players, mostly newcomers and younger players, went over toward the North stands, applauded and paid tribute to La Familia.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
18 May 2026
Noun
-
Joined by her hapless but loyal classmate Curtis Mehlberg (Jacob Tremblay), Prue navigates a world of talking animals, bandits, and powerful figures driven by grief and ambition.—
Wilson Chapman,
IndieWire,
13 May 2026
-
Sardinian bandits sometimes fought back with their own sense of justice, settling matters through raids, kidnappings, and violence.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
7 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Punks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/punks. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
