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
Katlyn Moncada, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 Apr. 2026
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
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
Palate Power-Ups A squeeze or drizzle of these globe-trotting sauces punches up basic proteins, sandwiches, bowls, and more.
—Katlyn Moncada, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 Apr. 2026
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
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 22 Apr. 2026.
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