: a traditional puppet show in which main character Punch fights comically with his wife Judy

Examples of Punch-and-Judy show in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Their focus on small-scale bitching with the British, the Punch-and-Judy show with AstraZeneca. — Isaac Chotiner, The New Yorker, 15 Apr. 2021

Word History

First Known Use

1870, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Punch-and-Judy show was in 1870

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Punch-and-Judy show.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Punch-and-Judy%20show. Accessed 28 Sep. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster