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
Third-quarter push Trailing by 16 points at the half, the Magic punched back in a major way in the third quarter. — Jason Beede, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Nov. 2026 To punch a ticket to Saturday’s title game, Southwest Christian toppled district foe and reigning champion Fort Worth All Saints (17-11, 6-4) in three sets. — Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Nov. 2026
Noun
The flavor excels because each ingredient punches above its weight. — Nina Moskowitz, Bon Appetit Magazine, 8 Nov. 2026 Our favorite model remains the ULT Tower 10, which costs $300 and still delivers the punch most people would want. — Christian De Looper, PC Magazine, 7 Nov. 2026 See All Example Sentences for punch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for punch
Verb
  • Usman Nurmagomedov then slapped him across the face, and all hell broke loose.
    — Ryan Morik OutKick, FOXNews.com, 11 Nov. 2026
  • The loose straps on my backpack were snapping and slapping like whips.
    — Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 10 Nov. 2026
Verb
  • And in Honduras, Milexy Rodríguez lost 15 cows in 40 days when drought dried up her lagoon, rebuilding by drilling a well and diversifying.
    — Lys Arango, Vogue, 8 Nov. 2026
  • Doncic used a screen from Kessler to loop around in a circle away from pressure, evading Portland star Deni Avdija in the process to drill a 3-pointer from atop the key to knot the game at 68.
    — Benjamin Royer, Oc Register, 7 Nov. 2026
Verb
  • When the single mother of two was without a car to drive her son, senior Daijon Overton, from his home in Woodlawn to school in Morgan Park, the coach stepped in for the right tackle, Bush said.
    — Darcel Rockett, Chicago Tribune, 11 Nov. 2026
  • Her husband instructed their 13-year-old son to drive his three siblings to a nearby relative's home.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 11 Nov. 2026
Noun
  • The rookie second-round pick again made an impact on both ends, suffocating Harden and Mitchell on several possessions on the defensive end, and scoring 20 points on the other end on efficient 6 for 12 shooting.
    — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 14 Nov. 2026
  • Some of these impacts may be moderate to significant beach erosion and shallow flooding of normally dry beaches and walkways.
    — CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 14 Nov. 2026
Noun
  • Ultimately, the United States must remember that its external competitiveness will flow from its internal vigor.
    — Ali Wyne, Foreign Affairs, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Many markets listed on bet365 offer competitive odds and lower vigor.
    — OutKick, FOXNews.com, 27 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • On top of that, Jensen Huang's resignation Thursday as Nvidia CEO in the fallout of an affair scandal dealt another blow to investor confidence, making Anthropic's IPO even more of a litmus test of investor appetite for the sector.
    — Alexa LoMonaco, CNBC, 13 Nov. 2026
  • With a population exceeding 110 million people, over 40 million more than France, Congo is the most populous nation where French is the official language and its withdrawal would mark a significant blow to the Francophonie organization.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 13 Nov. 2026
Noun
  • Reports are emerging of infected people with a lust for blood and raw flesh, and bodies turning up with puncture marks on their necks.
    — Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 13 Nov. 2026
  • When a single cell in a repeating lattice cracks or punctures, the surrounding identical cells immediately follow suit, causing a chain-reaction collapse.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 12 Nov. 2026
Verb
  • O’Connell told the students a stalk of celery is responsible for the smacking sound.
    — Senior Television, Los Angeles Times, 10 Nov. 2026
  • In September 2022, NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) spacecraft smacked into a cosmic rock named Dimorphos at a speed of around 14,000 miles per hour.
    — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 6 Nov. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Punch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/punch. Accessed 15 Nov. 2026.

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