punchy

play

adjective \ ˈpən-chē \

Definition of punchy

punchier; punchiest

1 a :having punch :forceful, spirited

b :vivid, vibrant

punchy video graphics

2 :punch-drunk 2

See punchy defined for English-language learners

Examples of punchy in a Sentence

shrimp in a punchy sauce
She was punchy with fatigue.

Recent Examples of punchy from the Web

There was not then, as there is now, a punchy group of partisans talking about ousting the incumbent from inside his party.

— the washington post, NOLA.com, "Ted Cruz? John Kasich? Trump pollster finds 50 percent of GOP open to new nominee in 2020," 23 Aug. 2017
There was not then, as there is now, a punchy group of partisans talking about ousting the incumbent from inside his party.

— the washington post, OregonLive.com, "Ted Cruz? John Kasich? Trump pollster finds 50 percent of GOP open to new nominee in 2020," 23 Aug. 2017
There was not then, as there is now, a punchy group of partisans talking about ousting the incumbent from inside his party.

— david weigel, Washington Post, "Trump pollster finds 50 percent of Republicans open to another nominee in 2020," 23 Aug. 2017
The T1’s sound quality offers close to the holy trinity of sound quality: full punchy bass, expressive midrange and airy highs.

— idahostatesman, "Looking to upgrade your sound? Here are the best speakers so far this year," 28 July 2017
These walls are a really punchy indigo, and the backsplash tiles were custom-colored to our specifications in Morocco.

— caitlin kelly, House Beautiful, "This Isn't Your Typical Jersey Shore Vacation Home," 24 July 2017
The pipeline pad here in the mountains is still deep with punchy snow.

— ned rozell, Alaska Dispatch News, "Outside Valdez, the mountains are full of snow — and filling with birds," 22 July 2017
From the roasted vegetables (they truly are roasted here) to the bright yet subtle sauces to punchy dishes like short ribs with sautéed greens, cipollini, and horseradish cream, the place is defined by a relentless sense of poise and ease.

— garrett snyder, Los Angeles Magazine, "The Los Angeles Magazine Hot Restaurant List for July 2017," 18 July 2017
The punchy bass even feels a bit like a Carey song from her heyday, making the homage even more flawless.

— taylor weatherby, Billboard, "Fifth Harmony's 10 Best Songs: Critic's Picks," 13 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'punchy.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of punchy

1907

punchy Synonyms

Synonyms

addle, addled, addlepated, bedeviled, befogged, befuddled, bemused, bewildered, bushed [chiefly Australian], confounded, confused, dazed, distracted, dopey (also dopy), fogged, mixed-up, muddleheaded, muzzy, pixilated (also pixillated), punch-drunk, dizzy, raddled, shell-shocked, silly, slaphappy, spaced-out (or spaced), spacey (also spacy), stunned, stupefied, zonked, zonked-out

Antonyms

clearheaded, unconfused

Related Words

senseless, unconscious

Near Antonyms

alert, conscious

PUNCHY Defined for English Language Learners

punchy

play

adjective

Definition of punchy for English Language Learners

: very exciting or lively

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punchy

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PUNCHY Defined for English Language Learners

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PUNCHY Defined for English Language Learners

punchy

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