as in courage
the strength of mind that enables a person to endure pain or hardship
had the spunk to overcome a severe physical disability
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of spunk
Savannah Guthrie and her two siblings issued an emotional plea on Instagram for their mom's return, citing her spunk, her loving personality and her vulnerability.
—
Helen Rummel, AZCentral.com, 4 Feb. 2026
Animal-print chairs maintain a bit of spunk in the now bright, airy rooms, as do ornate dark wood bedside tables.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Jan. 2026
Each design also has its own energy and spunk!
—Ingrid Vasquez, PEOPLE, 15 Dec. 2025
Dallas’ defense showed some spunk, even factoring in the matchup against an offense that ranked 30th in the NFL coming into the game.
—Lawrence Dow, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 18 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for spunk
Helen Rummel, AZCentral.com, 4 Feb. 2026
Animal-print chairs maintain a bit of spunk in the now bright, airy rooms, as do ornate dark wood bedside tables.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Jan. 2026
Each design also has its own energy and spunk!
—Ingrid Vasquez, PEOPLE, 15 Dec. 2025
Dallas’ defense showed some spunk, even factoring in the matchup against an offense that ranked 30th in the NFL coming into the game.
—Lawrence Dow, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 18 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for spunk
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spunk
Noun
-
The courage to make those choices and keep moving forward is what has defined my journey.—
Noor Lobad,
Footwear News,
28 Apr. 2026
-
But when a mysterious aircraft sinks into the ocean, Ally’s peaceful world is suddenly thrown into danger and is thrust into a journey real-life marine creatures as the film explores themes of friendship and courage.—
Etan Vlessing,
HollywoodReporter,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Hard work, vision, grit all got her there.—
Wendy Naugle,
USA Today,
26 Apr. 2026
-
Philadelphia embodied the grit of a city on Friday night.—
Tony Jones,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The First Eight's legacies of resistance and resolve, promise and purpose, faith and fortitude, continue to motivate me every day and in every way.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
25 Apr. 2026
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The level of intense feelings that anchor the show requires mental fortitude, yes, but also open-hearted candor.—
Melissa Ruggieri,
USA Today,
19 Apr. 2026
Noun
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During my visit to New York, my wife and I will again pay our respects to the victims, the families, and the bravery shown in the face of terrible loss.—
KiMi Robinson,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2026
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The key cabin crew are flight attendants Penny (Lucy Barrett) and Zoe (Na Shi), both of whom demonstrate bravery, to different ends, and show caring attention to the terrified children.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Any editor can tell you—visiting Milan for Salone del Mobile and all of its surrounding events is an exercise in stamina.—
The Editors of AD,
Architectural Digest,
22 Apr. 2026
-
Beware the narrow stairs, though; navigating the building’s five floors and rooftop terrace requires stamina.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
22 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
That mix of stubbornness and courageousness is what endeared Snider to fans and peers alike.—
Joseph Hudak,
Rolling Stone,
15 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Unseen are the several private viewing rooms, offices, and work spaces that secretly snake through the guts.—
Nate Freeman,
Vanity Fair,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Our bodies could then invest the surplus energy this saved into ganglia rather than guts, into frontal lobes instead of food.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
22 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
And many of the court’s six conservative justices seemed sympathetic to the Justice Department’s argument that the law bars courts from reviewing those determinations.—
Maureen Groppe,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2026
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The determination means Lane will be the show’s only potential leading performer in this year’s Tony race.—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
29 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Spunk.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spunk. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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