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

This is a fertile time for punk rock to come back because it’s a state of mind.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 24, 2026

Image: Australian punk rock band Private Function playing one of their last gigs at a party on Gold Street, Melbourne.

From BBC ● Sep. 7, 2026

“The punk rock ethos of Dadaism really resonates with me — breaking down the barriers of something in order to find the real essence of it. That’s what we’re trying to do in class.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 2026

The American model is also a musician, known for being the lead vocalist and songwriter of the punk rock band Nasty Cherry, which was formed by Charli XCX.

From BBC ● Jul. 19, 2026

She smiled, clearly in pain, then said to Moss, “You realize how punk rock I look, right?”

From "Anger Is a Gift" by Mark Oshiro