as in belly
an enlarged or bulging abdomen
Santa is depicted as a white-bearded man with a big paunch
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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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
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Meals like beef tips over rice, hamburger steak with onions and gravy, and fried chicken and fish will fill your belly and bring you back to another time.—
Heidi Finley,
Charlotte Observer,
4 June 2025
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First responders hoisted the victim out by helicopter, leaving them dangling at the end of a 150-foot rope from the aircraft’s belly, before landing and transferring them to an ambulance.—
Corey Buhay,
Outside Online,
30 May 2025
Noun
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The 9-year-old Indiana boy told his parents his stomach hurt.—
Stephanie Armour,
Miami Herald,
29 May 2025
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Dandelions have been used in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries to treat various issues, including stomach problems and inflammation.—
Catharine Malzahn,
Glamour,
28 May 2025
Noun
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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
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For Valenti’s current foster pig, a black and white potbelly named Arnold, that means screaming around 5 p.m. demanding to be fed for dinner time or digging up acorns buried by squirrels in the backyard.—
Carolyn Stein,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Paunch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/paunch. Accessed 13 Jun. 2025.
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