1
as in to slap
to deliver a blow to (someone or something) usually in a strong vigorous manner
after the man had punched the bartender for eighty-sixing him, bouncers stepped in and restrained him until the police could arrive
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in to drill
to make a hole or series of holes in
punch a ticket
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in impact
the quality of an utterance that provokes interest and produces an effect
the real punch of the speech came in its closing lines
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in vigor
active strength of body or mind
we're going to need a candidate with real punch if voters are ever going to get excited about this election
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in blow
a hard strike with a part of the body or an instrument
the poor palooka wasn't able to land a single punch on his opponent
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in puncture
a mark or small hole made by a pointed instrument
old computers used to get information by reading the punches on a series of cards
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of punch
Landon Mion, FOXNews.com, 14 Aug. 2025
The ancient asteroid shard at the heart of the event weathered the intense friction of atmospheric entry to punch a hole through the roof of a house in the city of McDonough, Georgia, shattering the floor a mere 14 feet (4 meters) from an unsuspecting resident.
—Anthony Wood, Space.com, 11 Aug. 2025
Benjamin Sharoni, Boston Herald, 13 Aug. 2025
Barnett, for example, believes his 1-2-3 punch at running back with Gio Limon, Caden Whiddon and Maddox Romans will make up for the graduation of Ryan Remigio, who rolled up 807 yards and scored six TDs.
—Steve Brand, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for punch
Verb
Farthing allegedly punched another hotel guest in the face during an argument.
—Landon Mion, FOXNews.com, 14 Aug. 2025
The ancient asteroid shard at the heart of the event weathered the intense friction of atmospheric entry to punch a hole through the roof of a house in the city of McDonough, Georgia, shattering the floor a mere 14 feet (4 meters) from an unsuspecting resident.
—Anthony Wood, Space.com, 11 Aug. 2025
Noun
In Hollywood, the story often ends the same: the script is familiar – good triumphs over evil, with highs and lows, some emotional conflict, a car chase, a few punches, and maybe even a dramatic gunfight.
—Benjamin Sharoni, Boston Herald, 13 Aug. 2025
Barnett, for example, believes his 1-2-3 punch at running back with Gio Limon, Caden Whiddon and Maddox Romans will make up for the graduation of Ryan Remigio, who rolled up 807 yards and scored six TDs.
—Steve Brand, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for punch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for punch
Verb
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Anthony thinks his fiancé wants a mother more than a partner, so Giuseppe slaps a pie into his face?—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
14 Aug. 2025
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Leaders of Cincinnati's Black community have called for the police to arrest the White man who slapped a Black man in the viral Downtown brawl.—
Quinlan Bentley,
The Enquirer,
13 Aug. 2025
Verb
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There is variability between firms; some can drill wells profitably with oil at $45.—
Matt Randolph,
Forbes.com,
16 Aug. 2025
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After the city was laid out, lots of wells were drilled, and it's said the mineral waters here have a higher concentration of lithium, which helps treat a range of mental and mood disorders.—
Amanda Ogle,
Travel + Leisure,
15 Aug. 2025
Verb
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CTOs now sit at the strategic heart of organizations, driving revenue growth, operational efficiency and competitive advantage.—
Mary Elizabeth Bradford,
Forbes.com,
18 Aug. 2025
-
Some round-trip flights to San Francisco, Salt Lake City and Denver are priced lower than the cost of driving to get there.—
Michael Salerno,
AZCentral.com,
18 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Sure, they got smacked by Ohio State, but who didn't last winter?—
Matthew Schmidt,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 Aug. 2025
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Two 10-ounce bags of Fresh Express lettuce got smacked with Stop Sales.—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
12 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Sofia rests on ancient Roman ruins—its skyline pierced by golden Orthodox domes, leafy parks, and boulevards humming with espresso cafés and bookstalls.—
Lewis Nunn,
Forbes.com,
14 Aug. 2025
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While slow, its sharp edges pierce deeply for its weight.—
Oliver Brandt,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The series ran for 11 seasons, beginning in 2010 until its final episode in 2022.—
Stephanie Wenger,
People.com,
8 Aug. 2025
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Lawmakers could adjust the boundaries so that the 1st District runs further south into Newton and Jasper, both counties that Trump won by more than 50 percentage points in 2024.—
Indianapolis Star,
IndyStar,
7 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Moncada can’t hit from the right side, so as soon as a lefty came in from the bullpen, Moore replaced Moncada.—
Jeff Fletcher,
Oc Register,
17 Aug. 2025
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Produced by Universal Pictures, Nobody 2 is the sequel to the 2021 action comedy hit Nobody.—
Tim Lammers,
Forbes.com,
17 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Gavin Newsom continues to mock Trump on 'Bela' The California governor's office has taken to mimicking Trump's social media style in posts trolling the president and generally poking fun at Republicans online.—
Kinsey Crowley,
USA Today,
18 Aug. 2025
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Apart from at the very top of the tree, which presumably pokes through Florentino Perez’s office window at Real Madrid, there are no solutions, only trade-offs.—
Mark Critchley,
New York Times,
18 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Punch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/punch. Accessed 23 Aug. 2025.
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