Meaning & use
skunk
A small black-and-white mammal known for spraying a strong-smelling liquid from glands near its tail when threatened.
See it in a sentence
The dog came home smelling terrible after chasing a skunk into the bushes.
A skunk wandered into the campsite looking for food scraps overnight.
A note on using this word
In casual American slang, to 'skunk' someone means to defeat them decisively, especially in a game.
Words with a similar meaning
This term is best learned through its definition and examples.
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Another way to use it
2. verb
Informal: to defeat an opponent decisively, especially by preventing them from scoring at all.
Our team got skunked in the final inning, losing ten to nothing.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “skunk”, then compare your use with the examples above.