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
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of skunk
Samantha Agate, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 Apr. 2026
Maron explained that storms can dislodge baby birds from nests, sweep young animals out of tree hollows and flood ground nests used by cottontails and skunks.
—Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 13 Apr. 2026
Larry Light, Forbes.com, 9 July 2025
The party got skunked in every battleground state and lost the popular vote for the first time in 20 years.
—Charlotte Alter, Time, 19 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for skunk
Noun
Maron explained that storms can dislodge baby birds from their nests, sweep young animals out of tree hollows and even flood ground nests used by cottontails and skunks.
—Samantha Agate, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 Apr. 2026
Maron explained that storms can dislodge baby birds from nests, sweep young animals out of tree hollows and flood ground nests used by cottontails and skunks.
—Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 13 Apr. 2026
Verb
Long-term, however, the S&P 500 has skunked the world index, and shows very sign of continuing to do so.
—Larry Light, Forbes.com, 9 July 2025
The party got skunked in every battleground state and lost the popular vote for the first time in 20 years.
—Charlotte Alter, Time, 19 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for skunk
Recent Examples of Synonyms for skunk
Noun
-
In recent years, Ed Sheeran slipped behind the counter, gamely slinging dogs and taking his fair share of abuse from the staff.—
Jimmy Jellinek,
SPIN,
27 Apr. 2026
-
During the day, McKinley Park is filled with activity, from dog walkers and joggers to families enjoying the outdoors.—
Conor McGill,
CBS News,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Much earlier, in 1983, a plot by the IRA to bomb a Duran Duran concert at the Dominion Theatre was discovered.—
StyleCaster Editors,
StyleCaster,
29 Apr. 2026
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Yesterday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Israeli military personnel that the terms of the ceasefire with Lebanon allow Israel to continue bombing throughout the country.—
Mustafa Qadri,
CNN Money,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Bote defeated Miami Immaculata-LaSalle junior Lorenzo Lopez 6-1, 6-2 for the overall singles crown and teamed with Wheat to win the overall doubles championship, 6-4, 6-1 over Naples Community School.—
Gary Curreri,
Sun Sentinel,
2 May 2026
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In Commonwealth Athletic Conference action, Emma Bettencourt recorded four goals and one assist as Greater Lowell defeated Lowell Catholic, 7-1.—
Brian Roach,
Boston Herald,
1 May 2026
Verb
-
This scene stings with recognition.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 Apr. 2026
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Captain Ethan Ampadu is one of the survivors of that stinging 2024 play-off final defeat.—
Beren Cross,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The look came complete with a pumpkin-carriage purse, LED lights that accentuated the blue gown, and special effects smoke billowing from the magic wand of her stylist, Law Roach—a fashion fairy godmother in the flesh.—
Savannah Walsh,
Vanity Fair,
1 May 2026
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For decades, lung cancer has been tied to smoking in both medicine and public perception.—
Armstrong Williams,
Baltimore Sun,
1 May 2026
Verb
-
Once those are mastered, the exerciser can introduce equipment to challenge stability even further.—
Matt Parrott,
Arkansas Online,
26 Apr. 2026
-
That is precisely the trick Audi has mastered.—
Chris Jackson,
Denver Post,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The reportedly yearlong relationship is notable in that, after their split in 2015, Stocking posted and deleted tweets saying the basketball player cheated, per The New York Post.—
Taijuan Moorman,
USA Today,
27 Apr. 2026
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As OutKick previously reported, Megan broke off her relationship with the NBA star last week after accusing him of cheating.—
Amber Harding OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
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There’s some Streisand, too, and a big dose of Andrea Martin, specifically Martin’s signature SCTV character Edith Prickley, that bawdy, gawdy ham with all the bravado of a Catskills clown.—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
22 Apr. 2026
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Once completed, the $5 million acquisition will ensure the theater has a permanent home, a place where skateboarding clowns and leek-haired onions can continue to frolic and dance for decades to come.—
Todd Martens,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Skunk.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/skunk. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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