noun
Common
punk
PUHNGK
Punk (noun) means a loud, rebellious style of rock music, or the subculture built around it, marked by aggressive guitars and anti-establishment attitude. Example: “My uncle still wears his leather jacket from his punk days.”
noun
1
A loud, rebellious style of rock music, or the subculture built around it, marked by aggressive guitars and anti-establishment attitude.
"My uncle still wears his leather jacket from his punk days."
"The festival has a stage devoted entirely to punk and its noisy, angry songs."
"The band played fast, three-chord punk."
2
A young troublemaker or petty criminal.
"A couple of punks were caught scribbling on the bus shelter last night."
"The shopkeeper called the boys punks after they ran off without paying."
"The old man chased the punks off his lawn."
adj
1
Worthless, low quality, or thuggish and disreputable.
"He was dismissed as a punk kid with no future."
How to use punk
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe rebellious rock genre and subculture, or (as an insult) a worthless troublemaker.
Common pairings
punk rock
punk band
little punk
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like punk.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Word forms
- Plural
- punks
- Third person singular
- punks
- Past tense
- punked
- Comparative
- punker
- Superlative
- punkest
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
My uncle still wears his leather jacket from his _____ days.
Etymology
Originally referred to rotten wood used as tinder; the sense broadened to mean anything worthless, then to disreputable people, before being adopted as the name for the 1970s music movement.
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for punk
See all rhymes for punk →Frequently asked questions
What does “punk” mean?
The word “punk” means a loud, rebellious style of rock music, or the subculture built around it, marked by aggressive guitars and anti-establishment attitude. In plain terms, the rebellious rock genre and subculture, or (as an insult) a worthless troublemaker.
How do you pronounce “punk”?
“Punk” is pronounced PUHNGK (/ˈpʌŋk/ in IPA).
How do you use “punk” in a sentence?
Here is “punk” used in a sentence: “The band played fast, three-chord punk.”
What part of speech is “punk”?
Depending on how it is used, “punk” can be a noun and an adjective.
Where does the word “punk” come from?
The word “punk” dates back to around 1970. Originally referred to rotten wood used as tinder; the sense broadened to mean anything worthless, then to disreputable people, before being adopted as the name for the 1970s music movement.
Is “punk” a common word?
“Punk” is a fairly common word in modern English.
How many meanings does “punk” have?
“Punk” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a loud, rebellious style of rock music, or the subculture built around it, marked by aggressive guitars and anti-establishment attitude.
What is the difference between "punk" and "rock"?
"Punk" is a specific style of rock music and its subculture, marked by fast, aggressive guitars and an anti-establishment attitude. "Rock" is the broader category that includes many styles, so punk is a type of rock rather than a separate genre altogether.
What is "punk rock"?
"Punk rock" is the full name for the loud, rebellious music style that "punk" refers to, characterised by short, fast songs, aggressive guitars, and an anti-establishment message. The word "punk" is often used on its own as a shorthand for both the music and the subculture around it.
Featured in
Vocabulary lists that include punk:
