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
Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 11 July 2025
The Oscar promo did end up being released, with the main concept intact but minus those punch-ups.
—Dade Hayes, Deadline, 13 Mar. 2025
Beandrea July, IndieWire, 7 Sep. 2025
Phoenix Jung Denver, CO Another variation of the tank top and sidebag look, this time punched up with a cow-print Wrangler bag ($44).
—Matt Nager, Outside, 1 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for punch-up
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Noun
That said, the negative reputation surrounding the last lines in Jones’ thorny adaptation — a punch-up from Ellison’s original text that’s meaner and more sexist, no doubt — seems outsized.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 11 July 2025
The Oscar promo did end up being released, with the main concept intact but minus those punch-ups.
—Dade Hayes, Deadline, 13 Mar. 2025
Verb
The gig work humor and tech-bro satire appear to punch up at unfettered capitalism but actually punch down at the millions of workers whose problems won’t be solved by the end of the 98-minute running time.
—Beandrea July, IndieWire, 7 Sep. 2025
Phoenix Jung Denver, CO Another variation of the tank top and sidebag look, this time punched up with a cow-print Wrangler bag ($44).
—Matt Nager, Outside, 1 Sep. 2025
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 19 Sep. 2025.
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