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
-
Priscilla could be seen holding her belly as the photo was taken.—
Hannah Sacks,
People.com,
14 Aug. 2025
-
Its back is darker brown, fading to cream on its belly.—
Aspen Pflughoeft,
Miami Herald,
14 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Patients may also experience stomach cramps and vomiting.—
Brenda Goodman,
CNN Money,
6 Aug. 2025
-
GISTs happen most often in the stomach and small intestine.—
Becca Longmire,
People.com,
6 Aug. 2025
Noun
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This digestive machinery takes up a lot of room, giving the animals a potbelly.—
Alex Fox,
Smithsonian Magazine,
23 June 2025
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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
Cite this Entry
“Paunch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/paunch. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.
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