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.
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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
Jason Stauffer, CNBC, 16 Sep. 2025
The Roku 55-inch Pro Series TV keeps things simple while still delivering a cinematic punch and $300 discount.
—PC Magazine, 15 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
Our expert take The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card packs a punch for a $95 annual fee card, offering annual travel credits, comprehensive travel protections and more.
—Jason Stauffer, CNBC, 16 Sep. 2025
The Roku 55-inch Pro Series TV keeps things simple while still delivering a cinematic punch and $300 discount.
—PC Magazine, 15 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for punch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for punch
Verb
-
Ma slapped me and was right to do so.—
Anahid Nersessian,
New Yorker,
15 Sep. 2025
-
Trade tensions between Beijing and Washington have been on a rollercoaster ride in 2025, with both sides slapping escalating tariffs on each other.—
AFP,
Fortune,
14 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The rover drilled a sample of it, which researchers called Sapphire Canyon, for an eventual return to Earth.—
David W. Brown,
New Yorker,
13 Sep. 2025
-
Centennial expanded its margin to 10 when senior Justin Driver drilled a 50-yard field goal.—
Frank Rajkowski,
Twin Cities,
13 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Elsewhere, a strange new trend has started, seeing users stitch together clips of Jeremiah from various episodes into horror film-like videos, driving home the message that this is not just another cute, curly-haired college student but a malevolent Disney villain.—
Olivia Petter,
Vogue,
16 Sep. 2025
-
Discover the fascinating economics driving billion-dollar industries.—
thehustle.co,
thehustle.co,
16 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The Chiefs crushed the Patriots that night, winning 41-14 at Arrowhead Stadium and Brady was benched after the Chiefs smacked him down.—
Pete Grathoff,
Kansas City Star,
12 Sep. 2025
-
Pinch-hitters Agustín Ramírez and Eric Wagaman then smacked consecutive RBI singles to deliver the Marlins their first lead of the series.—
Steve Gorten,
Miami Herald,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Polish officials said Russian drones pierced their airspace 19 times from late Tuesday night to Wednesday morning.—
Ross O'Keefe,
The Washington Examiner,
12 Sep. 2025
-
The morning sun barely pierced the haze over Maitighar Mandala, yet the atmosphere was electric.—
Sonal Nain,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
EDTIn a press conference, authorities shared security camera footage of the gunman running across a roof and jumping down from a building before leaving the Utah Valley University campus.—
Zachary Folk,
Forbes.com,
12 Sep. 2025
-
The design leans rustic (give or take a couple of Togo chairs), with moss green paneling, tartan upholstery, and wood beams running throughout.—
Elly Leavitt,
Vogue,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The jeans also have a cropped length that hits right at the ankle and patch pockets that not only look cute, but are also functional.—
Alicia Geigel,
Southern Living,
16 Sep. 2025
-
Denholm is giving interviews to explain the board’s decision to award Musk a pay package that could be worth $1 trillion if the company hits milestones for market capitalization, profits, and vehicle production.—
Liz Hoffman,
semafor.com,
16 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Keep communication open by avoiding poking fun at these practices.—
Ashleigh N. DeLuca,
Parents,
16 Sep. 2025
-
Gibson proceeded to the Children’s Chorus room, where two staffers welcomed her to poke through the costume racks.—
Sarah Larson,
New Yorker,
15 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Punch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/punch. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
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