punch 1 of 3

Definition of punchnext

punch

2 of 3

noun (1)

1
as in impact
the quality of an utterance that provokes interest and produces an effect the real punch of the speech came in its closing lines

Synonyms & Similar Words

2
3
as in puncture
a mark or small hole made by a pointed instrument old computers used to get information by reading the punches on a series of cards

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 punch
Verb
Video of the incident shows two officers struggling with the woman, with one of them punching her in the head before taking her to the ground. Jason Green, Mercury News, 8 July 2026 The Pharaohs fought so bravely but, in trying to win the game before extra time, were sucker-punched by a gung-ho counterattack finished by Chelsea’s Enzo Fernández, who, alongside the GOAT, cried for Argentina at full time. David Hickey, NBC news, 8 July 2026
Noun
Installing peel-and-stick wallpaper is an excellent starter DIY that feels satisfying and packs a punch. Ashley Chalmers, The Spruce, 13 July 2026 But the Azteca started to change that, with that long second half rearguard, the deep 5-3-1, those endless headers and blocks and punches. Jack Pitt-Brooke, New York Times, 12 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for punch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for punch
Verb
  • The former legislative aide also claims that Basabe slapped him across the face and told him to stand in a corner at a private event in 2023.
    Aaron Leibowitz, Miami Herald, 10 July 2026
  • Women slapped their heads with their hands in mourning, while men beat their chests in unison, a tradition observed at Shia Muslim funerals.
    Hadeel Al-Shalchi, NPR, 6 July 2026
Verb
  • If that weren’t enough, after Toronto made a hoop, Salaun drilled another triple to clinch the win, putting her thumb and two fingers in the air on her way back down the court.
    Michael Nowels, Mercury News, 9 July 2026
  • Gauff drilled her footwork, working to optimize her explosive speed for a slippery surface on which hard stops and aggressive sprinting can often backfire.
    Douglas Robson, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026
Verb
  • The latest in Houston Salgado Araujo, 52, was driving to work with three other construction crew members when unmarked vehicles carrying federal agents began following his van, his family said.
    Julianna Bragg, CNN Money, 15 July 2026
  • When Fumi takes a job at Rin’s clinic planning to expose its darker side, their standoff drives the series, with the story more interested in what pushes people toward transformation than in the surgeries themselves.
    Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 15 July 2026
Noun
  • Mexico’s World Cup run may be over, but for many Mexican Americans, its emotional impact endures.
    Alfredo Corchado, Los Angeles Times, 11 July 2026
  • Ship operators are favoring the Iranian route over the corridor along Oman’s coast, reinforcing the impact of the tanker attacks earlier this week, according to the trade intelligence firm Kpler.
    Spencer Kimball, CNBC, 10 July 2026
Noun
  • His ideas were too radical even for many of our Founding Fathers, but the vigor of his writing and the clarity of his thinking were as a spark to gunpowder, and that was coming, too.
    Steven Johnson, Washington Post, 14 July 2026
  • Dividing clumps every few years in early spring also maintains their vigor.
    SJ McShane, Martha Stewart, 11 July 2026
Noun
  • Ohtani’s absence will be a blow for baseball’s Midsummer Classic at Citizens Bank Park.
    Dan Greenspan, Chicago Tribune, 10 July 2026
  • The Atlas Lions are the lone African team left in the competition and are looking to stun the footballing world with a takedown blow of Didier Deschamps’ 2018 World Cup champions in this revenge match.
    Kayla Hayempour, NBC news, 9 July 2026
Noun
  • What the data punctures is the assumption that every task needs a frontier model, priced like one.
    Jon Markman, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026
  • The right tool for the job Puncture tools are used for a variety of different jobs, and those jobs often dictate how the puncture tool evolves.
    Philip Anderson, The Conversation, 8 July 2026
Verb
  • Almost two years ago, China’s east coast was smacked by one of the strongest storms in decades, which temporarily halted container operations at both Shanghai and Ningbo ports.
    Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 8 July 2026
  • Gill saved the first shot in the penalty shootout against Germany, diving to his left and smacking away the ball headed for the back of the net.
    Gonzalo Zegarra, CNN Money, 7 July 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Punch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/punch. Accessed 17 Jul. 2026.

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