haymaker

noun

ˈhā-ˌmā-kər How to pronounce haymaker (audio)
Definition of haymakernext
as in punch
a hard strike with a part of the body or an instrument dealt his opponent a haymaker that sent him reeling across the boxing ring

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of haymaker His teammate, Stephen Jackson, followed him, and within minutes players and fans were throwing haymakers at one another, creating terrifying chaos and images that would haunt the league. — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 12 Aug. 2026 Two teams have thrown haymakers at the defending champs, and both times Argentina has survived. — Nbc News, NBC news, 7 July 2026 With Colorado threatening to land a haymaker, third baseman Casey Schmitt pulled off a play that will be remembered for years to come. — Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 4 July 2026 If Brunson is a knockout puncher, leaving opponents on the mat with devastating haymakers that turn the lights out, Anunoby specializes in body blows. — James L. Edwards Iii, New York Times, 28 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for haymaker
Recent Examples of Synonyms for haymaker
  1. punch
  2. blow
  3. thud
  4. slap
  5. thump
  6. swipe
  7. hit
  8. knock
Noun
  • As the officer attempted to handcuff Bowman, the video shows Bowman move his hand toward the officer's hands before the punches.
    — Shelley Bortz, CBS News, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Pocket-sized Hong Kong packs more of a punch than its 430-square-mile size might suggest.
    — Lee Cobaj, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of punch
Noun
  • Now, in yet another blow to national self-esteem, the ex-head of Germany’s foreign intelligence agency, the BND, has been arrested on charges of exploiting state secrets.
    — The Week UK, TheWeek, 17 Oct. 2026
  • The pro-Western opposition parties won big Saturday in the Czech Republic’s vote to fill one-third of the seats in Parliament’s upper house, the Senate, handing a blow to the ruling coalition led by Prime Minister Andrej Babiš.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of blow
Noun
  • As the Sixers absorbed punch after punch and refused to fold, reality returned with at least a whimper, if not a thud.
    — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Less than a mile from Presnell’s apartment, the girl heard a thud.
    — Thomas Lake, AJC.com, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of thud
Noun
  • Chmerkovskiy has since apologized for his comments referencing Will Smith’s infamous slap at the 2022 Oscars.
    — Tracy Brown, Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2026
  • The Wild, who have played all season without first-pair defenseman Brock Faber due to a skull fracture, lost forward Nico Sturm in the first period when he was hit on the side of the head by teammate Jared Spurgeon's slap shot.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of slap
Noun
  • But the knock on them has been the lack of thump in their lineup.
    — Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2026
  • The brutalist thump of drummer Moe Tucker renders the showmen in Led Zeppelin and the Who irrelevant.
    — Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of thump
Noun
  • Discover card originations also increased year over year for the first time since the deal closed, while Capital One's swipe-fee revenue continued to climb.
    — Alexa LoMonaco, CNBC, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Because the pigment sits inside the skin instead of on top of it, this isn’t the same as a swipe of freckle pen that rinses off at night.
    — Ashley Lynch, Miami Herald, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of swipe
Noun
  • The model became the first real hit in the emerging athletic shoe industry.
    — Phil Wahba, Fortune, 20 Oct. 2026
  • While many operational details remain undisclosed, the military’s confirmation of the hit and distance distinguishes this shot from several longer claims.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of hit
Noun
  • So the knock people could make against him in the past, that his movies were more head than heart, doesn’t apply here.
    — Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Cleveland pounded out 14 hits against six Tampa Bay arms, with Ramirez and DeLauter combining for six knocks before Cade Smith slammed the door on six pitches.
    — Alejandro Avila OutKick, FOXNews.com, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of knock

Browse Nearby Words

haylofts
haymaker
haymakers
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Haymaker.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/haymaker. Accessed 23 Oct. 2026.

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