as in to lick
to strike repeatedly
you should take a course in anger management—you can't go around punching out people
Synonyms & Similar Words
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as in fistfight
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Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of punch out
New Atlas, 27 Dec. 2025
Outside linebacker K’Lavon Chaisson later had the game-clinching takeaway late in the fourth quarter after the Patriots had taken the lead, punching out the ball after a catch by Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers that cornerback Marcus Jones recovered.
—Doug Kyed, Boston Herald, 22 Dec. 2025
Zach Pressnell, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 June 2025
The lefty was able to work his way out of trouble each time, first striking out Ozuna to end the third before getting a pair of punch-outs to end the fourth after initially putting two on with nobody out.
—Mac Cerullo, Hartford Courant, 1 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for punch out
Verb
This bumps displacement from the Shiver's 896cc up to 996cc, punching out 105 hp at 9,000 rpm and 66 lb-ft of torque (95 Nm) at 6,500 rpm.
—New Atlas, 27 Dec. 2025
Outside linebacker K’Lavon Chaisson later had the game-clinching takeaway late in the fourth quarter after the Patriots had taken the lead, punching out the ball after a catch by Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers that cornerback Marcus Jones recovered.
—Doug Kyed, Boston Herald, 22 Dec. 2025
Noun
But back in the 2010s, Kershaw was a dominant strikeout pitcher who recorded at least 200 punch-outs in a season seven times during the ten-year span from 2010 to 2019.
—Zach Pressnell, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 June 2025
The lefty was able to work his way out of trouble each time, first striking out Ozuna to end the third before getting a pair of punch-outs to end the fourth after initially putting two on with nobody out.
—Mac Cerullo, Hartford Courant, 1 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for punch out
Recent Examples of Synonyms for punch out
Verb
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Though his injuries were severe, the sailors watched in wonder as the cat determinedly licked his wounds, then got back to work destroying the rats threatening the ship’s food stores.—
Anne Ewbank,
Popular Science,
18 Feb. 2026
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Spit Heathcliff spends a lot of time straight-up licking Cathy’s face in this movie.—
Fran Hoepfner,
Vulture,
16 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The confrontation turned into a fistfight, and as her daughter was walking back into their house, someone shot her in the back.—
Joy Benedict,
CBS News,
3 Feb. 2026
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The pursuers yelled taunts, threw bottles, and expected the two women to settle their differences with a fistfight, according to court records.—
Nate Gartrell,
Mercury News,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
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A day after Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, as he's now known, was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office, the pride Sky Roberts holds for his sister is difficult to hide.—
Laura Trujillo,
USA Today,
21 Feb. 2026
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He was arrested after a resident spotted him hiding in a nearby laundry room at the apartment complex.—
Katie Wiseman,
IndyStar,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Gabriel Basso headlines the pulse-pounding series.—
Allison DeGrushe,
Entertainment Weekly,
19 Feb. 2026
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The journey winds through sweeping turns before plunging into a dramatic 910-degree double helix that spirals into a mine shaft, delivering both heart-pounding excitement and breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains.—
Jessica Safavimehr,
Southern Living,
18 Feb. 2026
Noun
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In the first half, both teams traded blows, with the largest lead being seven by the Bulldogs.—
Mukala Kabongo,
Boston Herald,
19 Feb. 2026
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He is seen performing first aid, administering back blows to the infant to remove the blockage.—
JT Moodee Lockman,
CBS News,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
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All testers dug the cavernous main compartment, which features stretchy crisscrossing straps that helped lash clothes down, keeping contents organized on the road.—
Drew Zieff,
Outside,
17 Feb. 2026
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Clinton, instead of delivering the usual liberal-candidate-seeks-Black-votes hominy, lashed out at her words.—
Johanna Neuman,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The Yankees started their slugfest in style against the Rays, as Judge’s big fly traveled 429 feet to the batter’s eye at Steinbrenner Field.—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
20 Aug. 2025
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Hunter Henry, Austin Hooper, Jack Westover Notes: It’s been a slow, ugly slugfest among the backup tight ends to see who can win the No. 3 job.—
Andrew Callahan,
Boston Herald,
9 Aug. 2025
Verb
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They were instead captured and publicly whipped.—
Madison Dapcevich,
Outside,
19 Feb. 2026
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Those who observe Lent will spend the next several Fridays whipping out fish recipes or attending a fish fry and abstaining from eating meat.—
Marina Johnson,
Louisville Courier Journal,
18 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Punch out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/punch%20out. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.
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