noun · verb · 16 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -ʌŋk
CMU ARPABET:F AH1 NG K
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
Foul or unpleasant smell, especially body odor.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
A style of music derived from 1960s soul music, with elements of rock and other styles, characterized by a prominent bass guitar, dance-friendly sound, a strong emphasis on the downbeat, and much syncopation.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: uncountable
Topics: entertainment, lifestyle, music
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
Touchwood, punk, tinder.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
Mental depression.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable
Examples
I've been in a funk lately, I fell into a funk, I slipped into a funk, I was stuck in a funk
it helped me get out of a funk
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
noun
Meaning 5
A state of fear or panic, especially cowardly.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: uncountable
Examples
1944 (written, first published in 2015), Bob Cooney, Proud Journey As I left the platform, the atmosphere was tense but there was no sign of uneasiness or funk [...]
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
6
noun
Meaning 6
One who fears or panics; a coward.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
7
verb
Meaning 7
To emit an offensive smell; to stink.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
8
verb
Meaning 8
To envelop with an offensive smell or smoke.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
9
verb
Meaning 9
To perform funk music.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
10
verb
Meaning 10
Fuck (the taboo swear word).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: euphemistic, slang
Examples
Funk this!
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
11
verb
Meaning 11
To shrink from, or avoid something because of fear.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: ambitransitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
12
verb
Meaning 12
To frighten; to cause to flinch.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
13
noun
Meaning 13
an earthy type of jazz combining it with blues and soul; has a heavy bass line that accentuates the first beat in the bar
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: jazz
14
noun
Meaning 14
United States biochemist (born in Poland) who showed that several diseases were caused by dietary deficiencies and who coined the term `vitamin' for the chemicals involved (1884-1967)
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: Casimir Funk
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: biochemist
15
noun
Meaning 15
a state of nervous depression
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
he was in a funk
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: blue funk
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: depression
16
verb
Meaning 16
draw back, as with fear or pain
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
she flinched when they showed the slaughtering of the calf
1620, from French dialectal (Norman) funquer, funquier (“to smoke, reek”), from Old Northern French fungier (“to smoke”), from Vulgar Latin fūmicāre, alteration of Latin fūmigāre (“to smoke, fumigate”). Related to French dialect funkière (“smoke”). More at fumigate.
From Middle English funke, fonke (“spark”), from Old English *funca (“spark”), from Proto-Germanic *funkô (“spark”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)peng- (“to shine”). Cognate with Middle Low German funke, fanke (“spark”), Middle Dutch vonke (“spark”), Old High German funcho, funko (“spark”), German Funke (“spark”). See also spunk.
1743, Scottish and Northern English dialectal word, originally a verb meaning “to panic, fail due to panic”. Perhaps from or cognate with obsolete Dutch fonck (“distress, agitation”), from Middle Dutch fonck (“perturbation, agitation”). More at flunk.
Across languages
Translations
95 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Chinese Mandarin:
臭味
(chòuwèi)
— foul or unpleasant smell
Finnish:
haju
— foul or unpleasant smell
Finnish:
dunkkis
— foul or unpleasant smell
French:
puanteur
— foul or unpleasant smell
Galician:
cheirume
— foul or unpleasant smell
Galician:
farume
— foul or unpleasant smell
Galician:
farún
— foul or unpleasant smell
Galician:
fedor
— foul or unpleasant smell
Galician:
bravú
— foul or unpleasant smell
Galician:
xatún
— foul or unpleasant smell
Galician:
chatún
— foul or unpleasant smell
German:
Mief
— foul or unpleasant smell
German:
Geruch
— foul or unpleasant smell
German:
Gestank
— foul or unpleasant smell
German:
Muff
— foul or unpleasant smell
Portuguese:
fedor
— foul or unpleasant smell
Russian:
злово́ние
(zlovónije)
— foul or unpleasant smell
Russian:
вонь
(vonʹ)
— foul or unpleasant smell
Spanish:
hedor
— foul or unpleasant smell
Bulgarian:
фънк
(fǎnk)
— genre of popular music
Chinese Mandarin:
放克
(fàngkè)
— genre of popular music
Chinese Mandarin:
魂克
(húnkè)
— genre of popular music
Chinese Mandarin:
瘋克 /疯克
(fēngkè)
— genre of popular music
