1
as in to slap
to deliver a blow to (someone or something) usually in a strong vigorous manner
after the man had punched the bartender for eighty-sixing him, bouncers stepped in and restrained him until the police could arrive
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in to drill
to make a hole or series of holes in
punch a ticket
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
as in vigor
active strength of body or mind
we're going to need a candidate with real punch if voters are ever going to get excited about this election
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in blow
a hard strike with a part of the body or an instrument
the poor palooka wasn't able to land a single punch on his opponent
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
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Recent Examples of punch
New Atlas, 17 Feb. 2026
Witnesses said LaBeouf was thrown out of the bar for being aggressive, then punched someone several times outside.
—Joseph Wilkinson, Mercury News, 17 Feb. 2026
Damon Wise, Deadline, 13 Feb. 2026
But the portions aim to pack a sizable punch, with popular birria or fish tacos bursting with ingredients.
—Amanda Hancock, Louisville Courier Journal, 13 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for punch
Verb
This isn’t a plucky 250 trying to punch above its weight.
—New Atlas, 17 Feb. 2026
Witnesses said LaBeouf was thrown out of the bar for being aggressive, then punched someone several times outside.
—Joseph Wilkinson, Mercury News, 17 Feb. 2026
Noun
This modest but super-smart production punches way above its weight.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 13 Feb. 2026
But the portions aim to pack a sizable punch, with popular birria or fish tacos bursting with ingredients.
—Amanda Hancock, Louisville Courier Journal, 13 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for punch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for punch
Verb
-
Grahovac was hit on the first pitch of the day, and Sorell slapped a single through right field to give A&M two runners with no outs.—
Tony Catalina,
Austin American Statesman,
15 Feb. 2026
-
Beware of the word ‘spread’ slapped across anything passing itself off as pimento cheese.—
Alana Al-Hatlani,
Southern Living,
14 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The philanthropists will drill holes with their pro device and lend equipment to deserving anglers.—
Karie Angell Luc,
Chicago Tribune,
18 Feb. 2026
-
Instead, Cozart wears shoes with holes drilled in them to make room for the spikes.—
David Eckert,
Austin American Statesman,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Molecular motion drives repair In earlier animal studies, a single injection 24 hours after severe injury enabled mice to regain the ability to walk within weeks.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
17 Feb. 2026
-
The San Francisco Department of Emergency Management advised the public to secure loose outdoor items, watch for falling branches, and use caution while driving or walking.—
Doyle Rice,
USA Today,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Within seconds, Perez smacked a cellphone out of the man's hand, swung at his head and tackled him to the ground.—
Sheridan Hendrix,
USA Today,
12 Feb. 2026
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But tens of thousands of films are made each year, and quite a few of them break the rules, defy conventional narrative expectations and smack us deep in our souls.—
Peter Debruge,
Variety,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
With blond horizontal stripes dyed in her dark brown hair, bold black eyeliner and the smiley lip piercing, Liu has cut an alternative path to the top of a sport that long valued a specific kind of femininity.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Feb. 2026
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The actress sported her septum piercing and her glam followed suit with her Gothic styling, with coiffed hair by styled by Hyungsun Ju and makeup highlights that included bold brows and a deep red lip by artist Alex Babsky.—
Julia Teti,
Footwear News,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Microsoft’s $50 billion investment will, among other things, help to build the data centers crucial to providing the computing power needed to run AI models.—
Hanna Ziady,
CNN Money,
18 Feb. 2026
-
Moe’s Nuggets ran and dared the rest of the NBA to catch up.—
Sean Keeler,
Denver Post,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Elsewhere, stories of economic gloom – from galloping inflation to restaurant closures and the knock-on impact of severe tax increases – describe the many ways in which the prolonged war in Ukraine is now hitting Russians hard in the pocket at home.—
Matthew Chance,
CNN Money,
21 Feb. 2026
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Finally, Kylie Minogue bags another top 40 hit thanks to the release of Tension Tour/Live 2025 (Mushroom Music) on CD and vinyl.—
Lars Brandle,
Billboard,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Social media users have also been poking fun at how popular the jackets are among the Asian diaspora.—
Stephy Chung,
CNN Money,
17 Feb. 2026
-
Start by checking the soil’s moisture by poking a finger 2 inches into the top of the soil.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
17 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Punch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/punch. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.
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