punchy

adjective

ˈpən-chē 

punchier; punchiest

1

a

: having punch : forceful, spirited

The collection is strong on punchy, memorable music and weak on lyrics.

—People Weekly

He leans abruptly forward and speaks with the punchy emphasis of an inveterate politician.

—Bill Bryson

b

: vivid, vibrant

These punchy colors glide on and blend easily into mere hints of color.

—Elle

c

: zesty

It is an elegant dish, although the sauce seems overly polite now. I remember it when the fresh coriander was an intense and punchy flavor.

—Caroline Bates

2

: dazed, punch-drunk

… I arrived in Paris after a thirteen-hour flight, unwashed, unshaved, punchy from jet lag, discombobulated …

—David Berlinski

Synonyms of punchy

• dazed
• confused
• bewildered
• distracted
• dizzy
• stunned

Examples of punchy in a Sentence

shrimp in a punchy sauce

She was punchy with fatigue.

Recent Examples on the Web

Lisowski’s punchy new essay collection, Uncanny Valley Girls, homes in on the horror genre and its grander implications. —Diana Arterian, Literary Hub, 11 Dec. 2025

In Season 3, the creators and the critics agreed, the show hit its stride, with a panorama that included a drowning off the coast of Majorca and a punchy climate conference in Switzerland. —Rebecca Mead, New Yorker, 8 Dec. 2025

The spiciest dip on Wednesday’s spread was a punchy muhammara, a walnut and roasted bell pepper dip hailing from Kachakji’s native Syria. —Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 7 Dec. 2025

Since the very first moment that Natasha Rothwell gagged us all on Insecure, real ones have known that she was meant to headline a punchy comedy. —Ew Staff, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Dec. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1907, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for punchy

• crunchy