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
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
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The remains were found by two men who were running their dogs and looking for rocks, according to DNASolves.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
13 Sep. 2023
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This included four search dogs, three doctors, a diving team and a water extraction contingent, Tunisia’s state news agency TAP reported.—
Rhea Mogul,
CNN,
13 Sep. 2023
Verb
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None of it happens if Torre doesn’t bomb the LSAT his senior year of college.—
Zak Keefer,
New York Times,
30 May 2025
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When the Japanese military bombed Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941, Toguri was trapped with no identification to secure a passage home.—
Kori Rumore,
Chicago Tribune,
28 May 2025
Verb
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Florida is 48-15 on the season and defeated its conference foe, Georgia, in the Super Regional.—
Kilty Cleary,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 May 2025
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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
Verb
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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
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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
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Add the roasted peppers, smoked paprika, cayenne, salt, and black pepper and mix well. 5.—
Carole Kotkin,
Miami Herald,
30 May 2025
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The accompanying photo showed Rowling holding a cocktail and smoking a cigar aboard her superyacht, which is valued at $150 million.—
Matt Craig,
Forbes.com,
30 May 2025
Verb
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Maron will portray Chuck Plotkin, the producer who painstakingly mastered Springsteen’s pivotal 1982 album Nebraska.—
Nina Corcoran,
Pitchfork,
2 June 2025
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There’s a belief that merely mastering a posture that keeps the battle alive, even if the defender successfully wipes the hand away while simultaneously bringing more power to the punches that do connect, can shift those win-rate averages from league worst to something more manageable.—
Paul Dehner Jr,
New York Times,
2 June 2025
Verb
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The responsibility and reasoning behind infidelity lie solely with the person who cheated.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
2 June 2025
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After reconciling, the former couple still faced several challenges, including cheating allegations and public social media fallouts.—
Elizabeth Ayoola,
Essence,
30 May 2025
Noun
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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,
28 May 2025
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His wife, Susan, a sweet woman with short grey hair, worked as a dental hygienist and performed as a clown named Jubilee at hospitals, nursing homes, parties — even the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta.—
Jennifer Berry Hawes,
ProPublica,
19 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Skunk.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/skunk. Accessed 11 Jun. 2025.
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