skunk 1 of 2

noun

ˈskəŋk How to pronounce skunk (audio)
Definition of skunknext
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

skunk

2 of 2

verb

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 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 skunk
Noun
The fall is an especially busy time for skunks. — Felicia Feaster, Martha Stewart, 20 June 2026 The lakeshore bird also faces threats from predators like dogs, coyotes and skunks. — Christiana Freitag, Chicago Tribune, 16 June 2026
Verb
That means two out of three Minnesota turkey hunters are going skunked this spring. — Alex Robinson, Outdoor Life, 16 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for skunk
Recent Examples of Synonyms for skunk
  1. dog
  2. bomb
  3. defeat
  4. sting
  5. clown
  6. smoke
  7. master
  8. cheat
Noun
  • This cot-style find is made of breathable mesh fabric to keep your dog cool, and the steel frame features skid-resistant feet.
    — Christina Shepherd McGuire, PEOPLE, 5 July 2026
  • Their dog was found alive, which gave the younger Eliezer Alfonzo hope.
    — Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 5 July 2026
Definition of dog
Verb
  • The two of them teamed up to bomb Iran in a war that, by all accounts, has been a dismal failure.
    — DP Opinion, Denver Post, 6 July 2026
  • Multiple explosions shook central Kyiv and reverberated across the capital throughout the night as thousands of residents rushed to bomb shelters and underground metro stations.
    — Gleb Garanich, USA Today, 2 July 2026
Definition of bomb
Verb
  • Egypt defeated Australia 4-2 in a penalty-kick shootout Friday after the teams played to a 1-1 tie after 120 minutes in Arlington, Texas.
    — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 4 July 2026
  • The short version is that after defeating the Kilrathi at the climax of Wing Commander 3, Mark Hamill’s Christopher Blair retires to a backwater world to live out a life in peace and obscurity.
    — Lee Hutchinson, ArsTechnica, 3 July 2026
Definition of defeat
Verb
  • Significant stinging insect infestations like wasps and carpenter bees may also require a specialized plan that isn’t included in your general pest control service.
    — Alora Bopray, USA Today, 1 July 2026
  • Democrats are still stung by Rogan’s nearly three-hour Trump interview in the final weeks of the 2024 campaign.
    — Steven Sloan, Los Angeles Times, 30 June 2026
Definition of sting
Noun
  • The group demonstrated near the Washington Monument and was met by a few counter protestors, one of which played clown music throughout the majority of the demonstration.
    — Antonio Pequeño IV, Forbes.com, 4 July 2026
  • But many did not, as the 1981 episodes tell the grim tale of a young girl named Sylvia (Barash), who is raped by a stranger wearing a horrifying clown mask.
    — Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 3 July 2026
Definition of clown
Verb
  • The actors had to learn how to smoke cigarettes the way people did in the 1920s.
    — Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 5 July 2026
  • This year’s celebration comes on the heels of a late June warehouse fire in Boyle Heights that released extraordinary amounts of soot and smoke across the county, on par with pollution generated by the previous year’s wildfires.
    — Corinne Purtill, Los Angeles Times, 4 July 2026
Definition of smoke
Verb
  • There’s a fleet of school supplies to amass, multiple schedules to master, and a lot of stress—both for my kiddos and on my end.
    — Melissa Willets, Parents, 6 July 2026
  • Faculty across the country increasingly report spending more time teaching skills that many students once mastered before arriving on campus.
    — Scott White, Forbes.com, 5 July 2026
Definition of master
Verb
  • The American grandmaster shed some light on his mindset following Kramnik’s cheating accusations in a livestream prior to his death, according to the Associated Press.
    — Kimberlee Speakman, PEOPLE, 4 July 2026
  • Trump has also continued to claim Democrats are trying to rig or cheat in the upcoming election, remarks that have faced rebukes from members of his own party.
    — Ana Ceballos Follow, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2026
Definition of cheat

Browse Nearby Words

skull sessions
skunk
skunked
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Cite this Entry

“Skunk.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/skunk. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on skunk

Nglish: Translation of skunk for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about skunk

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