as in punch
a hard strike with a part of the body or an instrument
dealt his opponent a haymaker that sent him reeling across the boxing ring
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of haymaker
Boston scored five runs right out the chute in the top of the first inning, with Rob Refsnyder breaking the ice with a two-run single with the bases loaded and Jarren Duran delivering a haymaker in the form of a towering three-run home run.
—
Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 5 Aug. 2025
New York landed its haymaker against Webb in the fourth by scoring three runs, the dagger being Nimmo’s two-run single that put San Francisco in a 6-1 hole.
—Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 26 July 2025
The biggest haymakers from the Cubs came courtesy of star center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong.
—Dane Mizutani, Twin Cities, 10 July 2025
The Knicks absorbed the Pistons’ best shots, then landed a flurry of haymakers spread throughout the fourth quarter to bury Detroit beneath an avalanche of buckets to open the series.
—Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 20 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for haymaker
Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 5 Aug. 2025
New York landed its haymaker against Webb in the fourth by scoring three runs, the dagger being Nimmo’s two-run single that put San Francisco in a 6-1 hole.
—Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 26 July 2025
The biggest haymakers from the Cubs came courtesy of star center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong.
—Dane Mizutani, Twin Cities, 10 July 2025
The Knicks absorbed the Pistons’ best shots, then landed a flurry of haymakers spread throughout the fourth quarter to bury Detroit beneath an avalanche of buckets to open the series.
—Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 20 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for haymaker
Recent Examples of Synonyms for haymaker
Noun
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Bermuda – now under a hurricane warning – faces a rare one-two punch from the storms, as Humberto brushes by the archipelago Tuesday followed by a direct hit from Imelda.—
Briana Waxman,
CNN Money,
30 Sep. 2025
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Right From Wrong by Jacob Dunne, who, in 2011, killed a stranger with a single punch.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
30 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The Ravens have gotten off to a 1-3 start in a season for the first time since 2015, delivering an early blow to the team’s Super Bowl ambitions.—
George Ramsay,
CNN Money,
29 Sep. 2025
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Then came the biggest blow with Gavi’s torn meniscus.—
Pol Ballús,
New York Times,
29 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Scream 4 landed with a thud upon release, but history has rescued its reputation among die-hards.—
Declan Gallagher,
Entertainment Weekly,
21 Sep. 2025
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The offense started fast but finished with a thud.—
Parker Gabriel,
Denver Post,
15 Sep. 2025
Noun
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A couple of good back slaps and thumps from the adoring crowd.—
Nick Miller,
New York Times,
30 Sep. 2025
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Karl turned on the headlights and got the windshield wipers going at a mad slap.—
Ann Patchett,
New Yorker,
29 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The dramatic thump of the ship’s four electromagnetic catapults which shoot them into the sky is constant and can be heard throughout the ship.—
Matthew Bodner,
NBC news,
25 Sep. 2025
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The Red Sox are in a good spot for their future, but their lineup clearly needs more thump.—
Tim Crowley,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Sep. 2025
Noun
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In today’s climate, every swipe of a card increasingly serves as an emotional release.—
Footwear News,
Footwear News,
29 Sep. 2025
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In the video announcing his exit from the race, Adams took what could be considered a veiled swipe at the Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani, an unapologetic progressive.—
Averi Harper,
ABC News,
29 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The former child actor, who got his breakthrough role in 1997's Soul Food at age 13, was diagnosed with Castleman disease not long after the film became a runaway hit.—
Stephanie Sengwe,
PEOPLE,
28 Sep. 2025
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The team’s hopes for a third straight Stanley Cup championship, last done in the NHL more than 40 years agp, also have taken an enormous hit.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
28 Sep. 2025
Noun
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And pass protection was his biggest knock on the open market.—
Doug Kyed,
Boston Herald,
24 Sep. 2025
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The only knock on Trout is his lack of playoff success.—
Pete Grathoff,
Kansas City Star,
23 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Haymaker.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/haymaker. Accessed 2 Oct. 2025.
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