punched up; punching up; punches up
: to give energy or forcefulness to
jokes added to punch up a speech
Examples of punch-up in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 5 Feb. 2026
But comics depend on feedback – punch-ups from fellow comedians and reactions from audiences – iterating jokes in the same way lean startups may innovate new products.
—Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 25 Sep. 2025
Cameron Beall, Southern Living, 3 Apr. 2026
An Eave Orb pendant in classic black or bone might draw the eye towards your outdoor sofa or a great rug moment; while opting for red, peach, or green is an opportunity to bring in an unexpected accent color to punch up your setup.
—Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 31 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for punch-up
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Noun
The vibe and verve are like Scott Pilgrim vs. the World meets Repo Man, but the material needed an extra punch-up at script stage.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 5 Feb. 2026
But comics depend on feedback – punch-ups from fellow comedians and reactions from audiences – iterating jokes in the same way lean startups may innovate new products.
—Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 25 Sep. 2025
Verb
Brewed coffee punches up the cocoa in the cake while coffee liqueur infuses the glaze with equally rich flavor.
—Cameron Beall, Southern Living, 3 Apr. 2026
An Eave Orb pendant in classic black or bone might draw the eye towards your outdoor sofa or a great rug moment; while opting for red, peach, or green is an opportunity to bring in an unexpected accent color to punch up your setup.
—Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 31 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for punch-up
Cite this Entry
“Punch-up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/punch-up. Accessed 8 Apr. 2026.
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