as in fisticuffs
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Recent Examples of punch-up
Often, when shows do crossovers, the writers on one will do punch-up for their characters on the other.
—
Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 4 Jan. 2025
Toward the end there’s a punch-up, with several players involved.
—David Szalay, The New Yorker, 1 Dec. 2024
Of the new cast additions, only Ayoade is doing anything funny, but Xeni’s pretentious banter could have used a writerly punch-up from somebody like Richard Ayoade.
—Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Airline crew could not run the risk of a full-scale punch-up at 30,000ft.
—Nina Turner, Newsweek, 30 Oct. 2024
Writers didn’t want to do punch-ups on potentially crummy AI scripts or have their words (or ideas) cannibalized by large language models that didn’t pay them a dime.
—Marah Eakin, WIRED, 17 Oct. 2024
Reynolds apparently did punch-up on a balcony scene in the movie (though some counter those lines are also in 2016 Hoover novel).
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 13 Aug. 2024
What was supposed to be a quick punch-up gig for a two-week Encores!
—Ashley Lee, Los Angeles Times, 5 Aug. 2024
Live, the band’s synth-pop got an indie rock punch-up, eliciting a melodic, staccato vocal tic in singer Sammy Elfanbaum akin to a young Ezra Koenig of Vampire Weekend.
—Althea Legaspi, Rolling Stone, 5 Aug. 2024
Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 4 Jan. 2025
Toward the end there’s a punch-up, with several players involved.
—David Szalay, The New Yorker, 1 Dec. 2024
Of the new cast additions, only Ayoade is doing anything funny, but Xeni’s pretentious banter could have used a writerly punch-up from somebody like Richard Ayoade.
—Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Airline crew could not run the risk of a full-scale punch-up at 30,000ft.
—Nina Turner, Newsweek, 30 Oct. 2024
Writers didn’t want to do punch-ups on potentially crummy AI scripts or have their words (or ideas) cannibalized by large language models that didn’t pay them a dime.
—Marah Eakin, WIRED, 17 Oct. 2024
Reynolds apparently did punch-up on a balcony scene in the movie (though some counter those lines are also in 2016 Hoover novel).
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 13 Aug. 2024
What was supposed to be a quick punch-up gig for a two-week Encores!
—Ashley Lee, Los Angeles Times, 5 Aug. 2024
Live, the band’s synth-pop got an indie rock punch-up, eliciting a melodic, staccato vocal tic in singer Sammy Elfanbaum akin to a young Ezra Koenig of Vampire Weekend.
—Althea Legaspi, Rolling Stone, 5 Aug. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for punch-up
Noun
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Barker played against type to star as a golf partner with Gilmore, a star-crossed pairing that devolves into an on-course fistfight in the comedy.—
Bryan Alexander,
USA TODAY,
25 Dec. 2024
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The expectation was for an orgy of merchandise and fistfights over whatever happened to be left on the shelves.—
Sebastian Stafford-Bloor,
The Athletic,
1 Aug. 2024
Noun
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Notre Dame 24, Penn State 20 This game is shaping up to be a defensive slugfest, but Notre Dame's ability to control the line of scrimmage and make game-breaking plays gives them the edge.—
Paul Du Quenoy,
Newsweek,
10 Jan. 2025
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This was a slugfest between a great team and a really good team that was decided in the game’s trenches.—
James L. Edwards III,
The Athletic,
4 Jan. 2025
Noun
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His public relations instinct was for confrontation, not conciliation.—
Trip Gabriel,
New York Times,
9 Jan. 2025
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The show was often ripe with family drama, confrontation, controversial topics, screaming matches and physical altercations between guests while on set.—
Tommy Tuberville,
Newsweek,
8 Jan. 2025
Noun
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By turning Doomguy into a knight wielding a gigantic, spiked shield a huge sword primed for brutal melee takedowns.—
Lewis Gordon,
Vulture,
8 Jan. 2025
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Florida has a tremendous opportunity to respond to its first defeat of the season, a 106-100 melee at Kentucky.—
Steven Louis Goldstein,
The Athletic,
8 Jan. 2025
Noun
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The hard-throwing lefty dominated across 72 appearances (72.0 innings), notching a 1.75 ERA and 1.13 WHIP with 84 punch-outs.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
Newsweek,
30 Nov. 2024
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Asus chose to have a punch-out camera and obscure part of the screen rather than mount it in a larger bezel, which shows how form has come ahead of function.—
Ewan Spence,
Forbes,
26 Nov. 2024
Noun
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Trump's comments inspired some Jan. 6 defendants to ask judges for delays in court action, spurred some to lobby for reprieves, demoralized some police officers injured in the attack and threatened a political brawl over the potential for turning loose people convicted of seditious conspiracy.—
Bart Jansen,
USA TODAY,
17 Jan. 2025
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Guida’s epic brawl with Diego Sanchez on the Ultimate Fighter Season 9 Finale was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame in 2019.—
Brian Mazique,
Forbes,
16 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Ragen is a steady bedrock, winning 67% of his aerial duels while being more difficult to dribble past than most in his position.—
Jeff Rueter,
The Athletic,
15 Jan. 2025
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All-wheel drive isn’t available throughout the race, just during the qualifying duels, when launching off the grid, and in Attack Mode.—
James Morris,
Forbes,
11 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near punch-up
Cite this Entry
“Punch-up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/punch-up. Accessed 22 Jan. 2025.
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