as in belly
an enlarged or bulging abdomen
Santa is depicted as a white-bearded man with a big paunch
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 paunch
Still — the slim build, though it’s now accented with a slight paunch.
—
Mitchell S. Jackson, New York Times, 20 Dec. 2023
And after conferring with Haynes, Melton decided to gain 40 pounds for the role, smoothing out his sharp jawline and adding a suburban-dad paunch.
—Kyle Buchanan, New York Times, 26 Nov. 2023
My bullet had hit behind the shoulder and exited the paunch.
—Will Brantley, Field & Stream, 7 Sep. 2023
He’s played by Slattery’s Mad Men compatriot Jon Hamm with a bit of a scruff, a bit of a paunch, and a touch of melancholy.
—Sheri Linden, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 June 2023
See All Example Sentences for paunch
Mitchell S. Jackson, New York Times, 20 Dec. 2023
And after conferring with Haynes, Melton decided to gain 40 pounds for the role, smoothing out his sharp jawline and adding a suburban-dad paunch.
—Kyle Buchanan, New York Times, 26 Nov. 2023
My bullet had hit behind the shoulder and exited the paunch.
—Will Brantley, Field & Stream, 7 Sep. 2023
He’s played by Slattery’s Mad Men compatriot Jon Hamm with a bit of a scruff, a bit of a paunch, and a touch of melancholy.
—Sheri Linden, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 June 2023
See All Example Sentences for paunch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for paunch
Noun
-
Dani smiled and leaned into her husband, wearing a cropped black T-shirt that showed off her belly.—
Hannah Sacks,
People.com,
1 Aug. 2025
-
Horton and an assistant fasten a saddle and harness ropes across the bull’s broad belly.—
Jon-Michael Banks,
Kansas City Star,
31 July 2025
Noun
-
Symptoms may include severe stomach cramps, diarrhea (often bloody) and vomiting, lasting around five to seven days.—
Marley Malenfant,
Austin American Statesman,
29 July 2025
-
Inflammation in the stomach can lead to trouble in the upper end: nausea and vomiting as well as loss of appetite.—
Bruce Y. Lee,
Forbes.com,
29 July 2025
Noun
-
This digestive machinery takes up a lot of room, giving the animals a potbelly.—
Alex Fox,
Smithsonian Magazine,
23 June 2025
-
An equipment manager had such a potbelly that his pants kind of got lost under the belly.—
Vahe Gregorian,
Kansas City Star,
6 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Paunch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/paunch. Accessed 10 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share