as in dog
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 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
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
Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 7 May 2025
While pesticides sprayed on crops and the Varroa mite both pose major risks for honey bees, bears and skunks can also be destructive predators to colonies, according to Hesbach.
—Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 7 Apr. 2025
Kyle Newman, The Denver Post, 10 Sep. 2024
The premise was that the Minnesota Timberwolves were trying to reconnect in this series after getting skunked twice at home.
—Troy Renck, The Denver Post, 15 May 2024
See All Example Sentences for skunk
Noun
That’s a sure way to invite not only raccoons but other unwanted guests such as mice, opossums, and skunks.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 7 May 2025
While pesticides sprayed on crops and the Varroa mite both pose major risks for honey bees, bears and skunks can also be destructive predators to colonies, according to Hesbach.
—Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 7 Apr. 2025
Verb
Facing a rookie pitcher in the opener of a three-game series at Comerica Park, Colorado got skunked 11-0 in a blowout that goes down as one of the most embarrassing losses in a season full of them.
—Kyle Newman, The Denver Post, 10 Sep. 2024
The premise was that the Minnesota Timberwolves were trying to reconnect in this series after getting skunked twice at home.
—Troy Renck, The Denver Post, 15 May 2024
See All Example Sentences for skunk
Recent Examples of Synonyms for skunk
Noun
-
Responding officers found the dog, and advised the owner to take the dog in.—
cleveland,
cleveland,
13 Sep. 2023
-
Police brought in hundreds of law enforcement personnel with dogs, armored carriers, horses and helicopters that circled overhead.—
Maryclaire Dale, Marc Levy and Michael Rubinkam,
Anchorage Daily News,
13 Sep. 2023
Verb
-
When Russia began bombing Kyiv in 2022, the walls were blown away, exposing the old newspapers.—
Chadd Scott,
Forbes.com,
19 May 2025
-
On May 2, Israel bombed an area near the presidential palace in Damascus.—
Bill Hutchinson,
ABC News,
17 May 2025
Verb
-
Su-hun represents everything Mun-oh aspires to be, serving as both inspiration and source of secret envy that has left Mun-oh feeling perpetually defeated.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
29 May 2025
-
Florida is 48-15 on the season and defeated its conference foe, Georgia, in the Super Regional.—
Kilty Cleary,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 May 2025
Verb
-
Its allure is rooted in seeing the celebrity guest melt beneath the weight of hot sauce: Shaq’s eyes stung red with tears, viscera gushed from O’Brien nose.—
Nicholas Quah,
Vulture,
27 May 2025
-
Recent history suggests that Republicans would take few lessons from even a stinging rebuke in the midterms.—
Chris Stirewalt,
The Hill,
23 May 2025
Verb
-
The clinic posted a photo of the blast’s aftermath that showed the building’s roof caved in, debris flowing into the streets and smoke billowing from inside.—
Richard Winton,
Los Angeles Times,
19 May 2025
-
Indy smoked Cleveland on its first four 3-2 defensive possessions, going 3 of 3 on wide-open 3s coming off skip passes, and getting a layup off a short roll pass on the fourth.—
David Aldridge,
New York Times,
16 May 2025
Verb
-
Nike has mastered this by creating compelling narratives around athletes’ journeys.—
Erik Huberman,
Rolling Stone,
21 May 2025
-
Topics include earning passive income online, mastering communication and public speaking skills, acing your job interview, and practical strategies to grow your wealth.—
Jennifer Liu,
CNBC,
21 May 2025
Verb
-
Brunson ultimately aligned himself with fan-favorite LA Knight after Haliburton tried helping Paul to cheat during the match by giving him brass knuckles.—
Jason Jones,
New York Times,
20 May 2025
-
But death in the Final Destination movies has a way of coming for those who cheat their fate, and in this case, the grim reaper wants the survivors of the Skyview disaster and their blood relatives.—
Tim Lammers,
Forbes.com,
20 May 2025
Noun
-
Elves, insectoids, reptilians, aliens, gods, and clowns are all common.—
Andy Greenberg,
Wired News,
22 May 2025
-
Fans can also look forward to performances by the iconic Silver Spurs Quadrille, the adorable antics of kids competing in Mutton Bustin’, and plenty of laughs courtesy of the ever-entertaining rodeo clowns.—
Joe Rassel,
The Orlando Sentinel,
21 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Skunk.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/skunk. Accessed 2 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share