variants
also skunk
as in dogs
a person whose behavior is offensive to others
he's nothing but a dirty, rotten skunk
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in bombs
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 masters
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 stings
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 skunks
Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 24 Apr. 2026
In the United States, dogs can get rabies if they are exposed to infected bats, raccoons, skunks and foxes.
—The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Apr. 2026
Cicadas are a good food source for animals like birds, foxes, skunks and raccoons.
—Finch Walker, USA Today, 14 Apr. 2026
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
Common Mistakes to Avoid To prevent yourself from getting sprayed, our experts recommend avoiding the following mistakes when spotting a skunk on your property.
—Michelle Mastro, Martha Stewart, 5 Apr. 2026
Health officials in Oakland County reported that a resident was bitten by a skunk last Friday, which tested positive for rabies earlier this week.
—Eric Henderson, CBS News, 2 Apr. 2026
Noun
This invites not only skunks, but also other unwanted visitors such as mice, opossums, and raccoons, says Anderson.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 24 Apr. 2026
In the United States, dogs can get rabies if they are exposed to infected bats, raccoons, skunks and foxes.
—The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Apr. 2026
Cicadas are a good food source for animals like birds, foxes, skunks and raccoons.
—Finch Walker, USA Today, 14 Apr. 2026
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
Common Mistakes to Avoid To prevent yourself from getting sprayed, our experts recommend avoiding the following mistakes when spotting a skunk on your property.
—Michelle Mastro, Martha Stewart, 5 Apr. 2026
Health officials in Oakland County reported that a resident was bitten by a skunk last Friday, which tested positive for rabies earlier this week.
—Eric Henderson, CBS News, 2 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for skunks
Noun
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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
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The state law relies on federal oversight, but even those who meet USDA standards can breed dogs in conditions that would shock most of us.—
Annie Hornish,
Hartford Courant,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The United States bombs Iran's nuclear facilities days later.—
Erin Mansfield,
USA Today,
1 Mar. 2026
-
Page Six gets a Hollywood edition Papps declined last week to reveal what stories his reporters were chasing and what bombs the political columnists will throw in its first editions.—
Christopher Weber,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Levy masters one hilarious perplexed comedic reaction after another as Nicky, a closeted pastor with a zany, highly dysfunctional family.—
Randy Myers,
Mercury News,
9 Apr. 2026
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The future belongs to the developer who masters the ability to break down human expertise into reusable agent skills.—
Mohith Shrivastava,
Fortune,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Nothing stings more than seeing a shipping fee tacked on top of an order that was already a splurge.—
Hannah Chubb,
Condé Nast Traveler,
30 Apr. 2026
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This scene stings with recognition.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Canty is one of the coaches who whips students into shape.—
Terell Bailey,
CBS News,
16 Apr. 2026
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When a dog repeatedly wags and whips its tail against hard surfaces, the tip can split open, bruise or break.—
Miriam Fauzia,
Dallas Morning News,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
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On the back of four Premier League defeats in a row and a squad pockmarked by injuries, some kind of change was required.—
Conor O'Neill,
New York Times,
22 Apr. 2026
-
Al Gore defeats George W Bush to become the 42nd President of the United States.—
Richard Edwards,
Space.com,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Inspired by real stories, Eva Marcille portrays a wife who miraculously cheats death after her husband’s (Tyler Lepley) betrayal in Pushed Off a Plane and Survived airing on February 28.—
Rosy Cordero,
Deadline,
30 Jan. 2026
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Blashill wants the Blackhawks to be a fast-pressure team at both ends of the rink, one that attacks vertically but never cheats for offense.—
Mark Lazerus,
New York Times,
2 Nov. 2025
Noun
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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
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Plot details are being kept under wraps, though the film has been described as a four-quadrant coming-of-age comedy set in the world of funny and evil clowns.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
7 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Skunks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/skunks. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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