as in punches
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
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Recent Examples of haymakers
The two heavyweights exchanged haymakers before Olivier caught Reaves with right hand and sent him to the ice.
—
Curtis Pashelka, Mercury News, 7 Jan. 2026
An all-time great and a two-time MVP trading haymakers in the form of go-ahead scores in the fourth quarter of a win-and-in environment.
—Chris Bumbaca, USA Today, 5 Jan. 2026
Fairview came out throwing haymakers, dazing the Bruins in the early going.
—Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 23 Nov. 2025
Those fans who arrived after kickoff missed a chaotic beginning as the talented offenses delivered haymakers.
—Matt Roy, Boston Herald, 22 Nov. 2025
These teams are trading haymakers.
—Andrew Greif, NBC news, 22 Oct. 2025
Curtis Pashelka, Mercury News, 7 Jan. 2026
An all-time great and a two-time MVP trading haymakers in the form of go-ahead scores in the fourth quarter of a win-and-in environment.
—Chris Bumbaca, USA Today, 5 Jan. 2026
Fairview came out throwing haymakers, dazing the Bruins in the early going.
—Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 23 Nov. 2025
Those fans who arrived after kickoff missed a chaotic beginning as the talented offenses delivered haymakers.
—Matt Roy, Boston Herald, 22 Nov. 2025
These teams are trading haymakers.
—Andrew Greif, NBC news, 22 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for haymakers
Noun
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Punch Makes a Comeback Exotic and nostalgic punches are taking center stage in home entertaining, offering both visual appeal and easy service.—
Colleen Sullivan,
Better Homes & Gardens,
7 Jan. 2026
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The humanoid performs spins, punches, one-legged stances, rapid kicks, and low sweeps, then transitions into aerobatic sequences.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
29 Dec. 2025
Noun
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Additionally, 35 people were also treated at the scene and in hospitals for various injuries, such as lacerations, blows and scrapes, Crónica reported.—
Gabrielle Rockson,
PEOPLE,
13 Jan. 2026
-
The fourth quarter was a wild one, with each team trading blows.—
Jeff Howe,
New York Times,
11 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Her 335 career steals trail only the 346 swipes that Linda Waggoner recorded from 1976-80.—
Danny Davis,
Austin American Statesman,
9 Jan. 2026
-
Wipe in circular motions with a lint-free microfiber cloth to loosen grime, then finish with long, horizontal swipes.—
Daley Quinn,
Southern Living,
7 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The fans are behind Sark, but no amount of attaboys or back-slaps can replace being in the same place as national semifinalists Indiana, Ole Miss, Oregon and Miami.—
Cedric Golden,
Austin American Statesman,
3 Jan. 2026
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After exchanging some slaps in the ring, Vaquer gained the upper hand and hit another Devil's Kiss on Nikki before going to the corner for a corkscrew splash to grab the pinfall win.—
Matthew Couden,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Like a puck zipping into a net at warp speed as the home crowd roars, Heated Rivalry has quickly and fiercely become one of the biggest surprise hits in recent memory.—
Jessica Derschowitz,
Time,
9 Jan. 2026
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As a result, the film sees Jackman and Hudson perform a collection of Diamond's beloved hits, which jogged Moore’s memory.—
Emlyn Travis,
Entertainment Weekly,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The broad strokes have been well-known — the ticking of a woman’s biological clock increases risk of miscarriage and infertility, often caused by eggs with the wrong number of chromosomes, the structures that carry DNA.—
Carolyn Y. Johnson,
Washington Post,
9 Jan. 2026
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The younger versions of Noah and Allie, callow and skittish, are laid out in broad strokes.—
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Deeper down the road the slap of the drooping tropical tree branches against the windshield are like punishing whacks to the face for trying to force a metaphor.—
Matt Negrin,
Rolling Stone,
20 Sep. 2025
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Brush off hair and debris from the surface, then give it a few whacks against the inside of the trash can to knock out some of the dust.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
18 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The girders, or beams, weigh approximately 42,000 pounds and are around 117 feet long, the release said.—
Darin Oswald,
Idaho Statesman,
12 Jan. 2026
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Quinn, who is about a year-and-a-half old, weighed 460 pounds when Grace won the animal from the Stock Show’s Catch-A-Calf program.—
Jessica Seaman,
Denver Post,
11 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Haymakers.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/haymakers. Accessed 15 Jan. 2026.
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