punk rock

American  

noun

1. a type of rock-'n'-roll, reaching its peak in the late 1970s and characterized by loud, insistent music and abusive or violent protest lyrics, and whose performers and followers are distinguished by extremes of dress and socially defiant behavior.

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punk rock British  

noun

1. Sometimes shortened to: punk.  a fast abrasive style of rock music of the late 1970s, characterized by aggressive or offensive lyrics and performance

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Other Word Forms

• punk rocker
  noun

Etymology

Origin of punk rock

First recorded in 1970–75

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

punk rock

"We were trying to form a new type of music which used influences from reggae and punk rock and funk and whatever," Panter said.

From BBC ● Jul. 4, 2026

Selin formed the English punk rock duo with Phoebe Lunny in 2019 and, in 2025, the pair landed the grassroots Loud Women Hercury Prize and were nominated for Rolling Stone UK's Rising Stars Award.

From BBC ● Jun. 13, 2026

Maggie St. Thomas chronicles three decades of SoCal punk rock history in her new book ‘Subject: Punk,’ featuring rare images of the Ramones, Motörhead and other iconic acts.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 18, 2026

“It’s a totally different vibe from a huge venue. It’s more like a punk rock picnic. You really get to see a stripped-down version of these musicians, and that’s what makes it special.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 30, 2026

“In my teens I was all punk rock, and in my twenties it was Madonna and whoever. Where are you in college?”

From "Genuine Fraud" by E. Lockhart