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
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
Marie Poteriaieva, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
James McAvoy was punched by a stranger at a Toronto bar on Monday night while in town to premiere his directorial debut, California Schemin', at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival.
—Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 9 Sep. 2025
Meredith G. White, AZCentral.com, 8 Sep. 2025
The knockout punch came after that fourth-down KU punt.
—Maddie Hartley, Kansas City Star, 7 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for punch
Verb
Yet the firm punches above its weight in custody, consistently ranking third behind Coinbase and BitGo.
—Marie Poteriaieva, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
James McAvoy was punched by a stranger at a Toronto bar on Monday night while in town to premiere his directorial debut, California Schemin', at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival.
—Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 9 Sep. 2025
Noun
Lawrence isn't preachy in his attempt to make this film an emotional gut-punch.
—Meredith G. White, AZCentral.com, 8 Sep. 2025
The knockout punch came after that fourth-down KU punt.
—Maddie Hartley, Kansas City Star, 7 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for punch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for punch
Verb
-
Later that night Plumier demonstrates by swiftly slapping the limp green body of a bullfrog hard across his leg.—
Sophie Hartley,
IndyStar,
9 Sep. 2025
-
Garraty is forced to slap himself across the face to stay awake as Barkovitch taunts him.—
Nick Romano,
Entertainment Weekly,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
While Tranter tinkers and Zuzana monitors the wall of local surveillance footage, Karalis and his team get to work drilling through the wall of the vault.—
Peter Debruge,
Variety,
6 Sep. 2025
-
His company saw a 2,408% increase in flaring immediately following new wells being drilled and a 692% increase in flaring overall in 2023, according to emails unearthed by environmental watchdog organization Fieldnotes and shared with ProPublica and Inside Climate News.—
ProPublica,
ProPublica,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Police reported the suspect got into an awaiting black SUV driven by a second suspect, and the pair fled the scene.—
Natalie Neysa Alund,
USA Today,
9 Sep. 2025
-
But there is also a deeper democratic malaise driven by his reluctance to heed the message delivered at the ballot box.—
Cole Stangler,
Time,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The raw tuna got smacked with a Stop Sale.—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
5 Sep. 2025
-
As of this publication, the final Conjuring movie starring Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga as Ed and Lorraine Warren lands smack dab in the middle of the best and worst rated Conjuring Cinematic Universe films on Rotten Tomatoes.—
Tim Lammers,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The fatal knife wound pierced Martin's sternum before going into his heart.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
5 Sep. 2025
-
Hospitals overflowing with patients ripped by shrapnel and pierced by bullets.—
Brendan Rascius,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Surround it with pumpkins, fashion it in front of a garland strand, or place it on a velvet table running across the manteltop to tie the whole look together.—
Mariana Best,
Better Homes & Gardens,
5 Sep. 2025
-
This look is perfect for landing in a style-conscious city like Paris or Chicago and hitting the ground running without needing a quick change in the airport bathroom.—
Rosie Marder,
Travel + Leisure,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
When the financial crisis hit in 2008, Mindy Fitzpatrick considered selling her family’s 6-acre wooded lot on Friendly Road.—
Lisa Cericola,
Southern Living,
9 Sep. 2025
-
Sticker shock, though, is expected to hit when consumers shop for 2026 model year cars and trucks as more of those vehicles arrive at dealer lots, according to Cox Automotive.—
Susan Tompor,
USA Today,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Stars not just in front of, but within the dusty nebula, poke through all but the densest gas.—
Ethan Siegel,
Big Think,
8 Sep. 2025
-
In July 2024, Thompson's daughter Gaia shared a cheeky post on her Instagram Stories poking fun at 2023's Barbie movie's tagline — and Thompson's ex, Kenneth Branagh.—
Hannah Sacks,
PEOPLE,
8 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Punch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/punch. Accessed 12 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share