punk out

verb

To give up or cravenly abandon something difficult.

“When the going got tough, he punked out.”

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Meanings

verbpunk out (third-person singular simple present punks out, present participle punking out, simple past and past participle punked out)

present singular third person punks out · participle present punking out · participle past punked out · past punked out

  1. intransitiveslangTo give up or cravenly abandon something difficult.

    When the going got tough, he punked out.

  2. slangtransitivealmost always used in the passive voiceTo treat as a punk (either as a worthless person or the bottom in a male-male relationship, especially a nonconsenting prison relationship).

    He knew if he didn't stand up for himself, he'd be punked out by someone stronger.

Cite this entry
APA

punk out. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/punk%20out

MLA

“punk out.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/punk%20out. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “punk out,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/punk%20out.

Source: punk out on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.