DictionarypunkTroublemaker
noun

punk

A contemptuous term for a troublesome or contemptible person.

The novel's narrator dismisses the troublemaker as a punk.

Etymology

Punk has had several disparaging slang uses for people considered worthless or disreputable. The exact relationships among its older senses are uncertain.

More examples

  • He regretted calling the boy a punk.
  • The film portrayed the gang members as punks.
  • She objected to his contemptuous use of punk.

Forms

punk · punks

Similar words

hoodlum
An insulting term suggesting disruptive or criminal conduct.
jerk
A contemptuous term for an unpleasant person without the same youth association.