uppercut
noun
up·per·cut
ˈə-pər-ˌkət 
: a swinging blow (as in boxing) directed upward with a bent arm
uppercut
verb
Examples of uppercut in a Sentence
He hit his opponent with an uppercut to the chin.
Recent Examples on the Web
The broken peppercorns, though, hadn’t lost their uppercut.
—
Pete Wells, New York Times, 3 Oct. 2023
His uppercuts slashed the air with erratic gusts of wind.
—Tyler R. Tynes, Los Angeles Times, 23 July 2023
The hands of time and change hit the Bruins like Marvin Hagler jabs and uppercuts this summer.
—Kevin Paul Dupont, BostonGlobe.com, 16 Sep. 2023
Álvarez then threw an uppercut before Charlo dropped to a knee.
—Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2023
Fuqua still loves when McCall was attacked in his kitchen in the first film and used a corkscrew uppercut to the chin to finish off his assailant.
—Bryan Alexander, USA TODAY, 30 Aug. 2023
The final round commences, Charlie puts his guard up, and—at just the right moment—throws a mean uppercut.
—IEEE Spectrum, 26 June 2023
Then, after winning the set, Djokovic took a couple of steps toward the sideline, before reacting by punching the air, spinning around, throwing an uppercut, holding his right fist aloft and roaring.
—Chantz Martin, Fox News, 3 June 2023
But there are concerns about an uppercut in his swing that leaves Outman vulnerable to elevated fastballs and down-and-away breaking balls and contributed to his 152 strikeouts last season.
—Staff Writer
follow, Los Angeles Times, 6 Dec. 2022
See More
Pete Wells, New York Times, 3 Oct. 2023
His uppercuts slashed the air with erratic gusts of wind.
—Tyler R. Tynes, Los Angeles Times, 23 July 2023
The hands of time and change hit the Bruins like Marvin Hagler jabs and uppercuts this summer.
—Kevin Paul Dupont, BostonGlobe.com, 16 Sep. 2023
Álvarez then threw an uppercut before Charlo dropped to a knee.
—Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2023
Fuqua still loves when McCall was attacked in his kitchen in the first film and used a corkscrew uppercut to the chin to finish off his assailant.
—Bryan Alexander, USA TODAY, 30 Aug. 2023
The final round commences, Charlie puts his guard up, and—at just the right moment—throws a mean uppercut.
—IEEE Spectrum, 26 June 2023
Then, after winning the set, Djokovic took a couple of steps toward the sideline, before reacting by punching the air, spinning around, throwing an uppercut, holding his right fist aloft and roaring.
—Chantz Martin, Fox News, 3 June 2023
But there are concerns about an uppercut in his swing that leaves Outman vulnerable to elevated fastballs and down-and-away breaking balls and contributed to his 152 strikeouts last season.
—Staff Writer
follow, Los Angeles Times, 6 Dec. 2022
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'uppercut.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1842, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near uppercut
Cite this Entry
“Uppercut.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/uppercut. Accessed 1 Dec. 2023.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
uppercut
noun
up·per·cut
ˈəp-ər-ˌkət
: a swinging blow (as in boxing) directed upward with a bent arm
uppercut
verb
More from Merriam-Webster on uppercut
Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for uppercut
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about uppercut
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share