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
But there’s an irony here, in that the movie then punches down on Marjorie and her co-conspirators in turn. Katie Rife, IndieWire, 14 Sep. 2026 One punched him in the face, and another stabbed him once in the buttocks, police said. Jesse Zanger, CBS News, 14 Sep. 2026
Noun
Guadagnino’s next stop is The Conformist (1970) swiftly followed by Last Tango in Paris (1972), the one-two punch that set him up as a major player in world cinema. Damon Wise, Deadline, 9 Sep. 2026 This one-two punch will bring temperatures about 8 degrees higher than normal to areas south of Point Conception and a whopping 10 to 15 degrees higher to the north. Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 9 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for punch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for punch
Verb
  • Trump has slapped a 50% tariff on Canadian goods and plans to ban the country's dairy, alcohol and auto imports later this month, drawing retaliation from Ottawa.
    Anniek Bao, CNBC, 17 Sep. 2026
  • Texas quarterback Arch Manning has apologized for his public reaction to a video that was altered by AI to show Longhorns coach Steve Sarkisian slapping ESPN reporter Holly Rowe and knocking her to the ground.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 16 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Here against Hull, Suzuki drilled a low pass into Jackson’s feet.
    Aston Villa, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Naturally, the privilege of drilling your marketing messages into the skulls of TV’s last great mass audience comes at a price.
    Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 9 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Maybe real New Yorkers do drive, because this is some serious New York behavior.
    Brian Moylan, Vulture, 16 Sep. 2026
  • Yet the deepest human transformations operate on a different layer of architecture—driven by adaptive, systemic processes that our analytical minds can’t fully dictate.
    Patrick Murphy, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • Republicans and Democrats alike have faced anger from voters anxious about the impact a data center built in their community will have on utility bills, property values, and quality of life.
    Lauren Green, The Washington Examiner, 12 Sep. 2026
  • The cat sanctuary made it through Lowell with limited impact, a relief after Hurricane Lala in August caused thousands of dollars in damage.
    GENE JOHNSON, Arkansas Online, 12 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • Garden mum expert QiuXia Chen explains that the differences between potted mums and garden mums relate to their flower size, branching, flowering times, plant habit, and vigor.
    Gemma Johnstone, The Spruce, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Appropriate pruning and sanitation practices, routine fertilization in accordance with the plant’s needs, and protection from environmental stressors (drought, heat, or cold) are all vital to maintaining vigor.
    Emily Leahy, Hartford Courant, 7 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • There have been plenty of in-game rotations, promising combinations, fluidity and creativity, but without the delivery of a final hammer blow.
    Cerys Jones, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
  • The residents had sustained another blow when my friend, John Ahern, was a passenger on Pan Am Flight 103 that exploded on December 21, 1988 from a terrorist bomb over Lockerbie, Scotland.
    Christopher Keating, Hartford Courant, 11 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • Most of the brand’s work business comes from safety footwear, protective to cap, puncture-resistant soles and other proprietary and branded technologies.
    Vicki M. Young, Footwear News, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Officers looked at the driver and saw six puncture wounds – four on his back, one between his eyes and one on the left side of his neck.
    Saleen Martin, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Dangbei rates it at 3,100 ISO lumens, which puts it pretty smack dab in the middle of projectors in this price range (MSRP is $1,999).
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 15 Sep. 2026
  • That stretch started with the doubleheader sweep of the Detroit Tigers earlier this month, when Bazzana smacked a tying homer and a walk-off single in the nightcap.
    Zack Meisel, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Punch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/punch. Accessed 18 Sep. 2026.

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