1
as in bombed
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
Relevance
2
as in defeated
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 stung
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of skunked
Depending on the mood of the bass and the weather conditions, those options could make all of the difference in getting a bite or getting skunked.
—
Derek Horner, Outdoor Life, 2 Apr. 2026
Derek Horner, Outdoor Life, 2 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for skunked
Verb
-
The house of another, Carlotta Walls, was bombed a month before her graduation, and the police subsequently tortured her father in an unsuccessful attempt to coerce a confession.—
Daniel Felsenthal,
Pitchfork,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Tangled pieces of barbed wire, reams of rubble and fallen concrete scarred the skyline in Karaj, western Iran, on Friday, after the US military bombed a major new bridge under construction.—
Leila Gharagozlou,
CNN Money,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The women carried their burden with grace and defeated Notre Dame.—
Dom Amore,
Hartford Courant,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Adam Sykora broke a scoreless tie early in the third period and Igor Shesterkin made 27 saves and the New York Rangers defeated the Florida Panthers 3-1 on Sunday.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Anyone who is stung repeatedly or has trouble breathing should call 911.—
Rey Covarrubias Jr,
AZCentral.com,
29 Mar. 2026
-
These scandals stung at the time, but looking back, Cyrus wouldn’t have changed a thing.—
Ethan Shanfeld,
Variety,
18 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The second came when UConn stunned Duke on that last-second 3-point shot to upset the Blue Devils in the Elite Eight.—
Scott Fowler,
Charlotte Observer,
30 Mar. 2026
-
And the regulation shift is sure to upset certain people.—
Graham Averill,
Outside,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Amanda Peet shows she's mastered her street style in New York City on March 31.—
Katie Hill,
PEOPLE,
1 Apr. 2026
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The same can be said of Underwood, who has mastered the art of the pained expression like no one in the Big Ten since Bobby Knight.—
Paul Sullivan,
Chicago Tribune,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Teddy, specifically, has also cheated death on the series several times.—
Jackie Strause,
HollywoodReporter,
25 Mar. 2026
-
Indigenous people have been cheated through laws such as are operated in Nigeria today.—
Noo Saro-Wiwa,
The Dial,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Ten years ago, AlphaGo trounced human competitors—and its legacy is still present in today’s most advanced bots.—
Matteo Wong,
The Atlantic,
30 Mar. 2026
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Rachel handily trounced Horan with a quiz all about Niall Horan.—
Bethy Squires,
Vulture,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The Leafs overcame a 3-1 deficit with three goals in the third period, including Rielly's snap shot from the high slot that beat Anaheim goalie Ville Husso stick-side to give Toronto a 4-3 lead with three minutes left in regulation.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
31 Mar. 2026
-
The Leafs overcame a 3-1 deficit with three goals in the third period, including Rielly’s snap shot from the high slot that beat Anaheim goalie Ville Husso stick-side to give Toronto a 4-3 lead with three minutes left in regulation.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
31 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Skunked.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/skunked. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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