punch out 1 of 2

verb

Definition of punch outnext
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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punch-out

2 of 2

noun

as in fistfight

Related Words

Dissimilar 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 out
Verb
The De La Salle product punched out a pair apiece in the first and second, then struck out three in both the third and fourth. — Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 3 June 2026 Danny Nelson starred again from the mound for Leominster in a 4-1 win over Shepherd Hill, allowing just three hits while punching out 10 in a complete game. — Kristina Banahan, Boston Herald, 20 May 2026
Noun
The two of them flirt, but of course the affair is not consummated, and Sergeant Sullivan pits them against each other in a punch-out exercise. — Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 17 Oct. 2025 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 See All Example Sentences for punch out
Recent Examples of Synonyms for punch out
  1. lick
  2. fistfight
  3. hide
  4. blows
  5. pound
  6. slugfest
  7. lash
  8. punch-up
Verb
  • Didier Gaspard Owen Maximilien, 19, admitted to licking the straw and returning it to the vending machine while recording the act for his online followers.
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 30 July 2026
  • That means no tasting cookie dough made with raw eggs, no licking brownie batter off the beaters, and no homemade Caesar dressing made with uncooked yolks.
    — Angela Haupt, Time, 23 July 2026
Definition of lick
Noun
  • After the high-speed chase erupts into gunfire and a brutal fistfight, Kim hijacks the vehicle, takes the official hostage and speeds off a bridge into the water below.
    — Regina Kim, Forbes.com, 28 July 2026
  • Later, Enola also participates in a horseback chase and violent fistfight with the female villain.
    — Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 30 June 2026
Definition of fistfight
Verb
  • The officers also have drones and helicopters equipped to track people hiding in the dark.
    — Trevor Hughes, USA Today, 29 July 2026
  • Here, cocktails, snacks, and afternoon tea are served daily and make for a great little spot to hide out from the heavy heat of the day.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 July 2026
Definition of hide
Noun
  • After the dustups, the offense went from taking blows from the defense to delivering some of its own.
    — Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 31 July 2026
  • During the less than a minute-long elevator ride, the duo trading blows, according to the video.
    — Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 31 July 2026
Definition of blows
Verb
  • Rainwater rushed into Filament Theatre in the Portage Park neighborhood on Monday as severe storms pounded the Chicago area.
    — Charlie De Mar, CBS News, 31 July 2026
  • The Jordan and James camps will continue to pound away at each other from their baselines, back and forth, making the rest of us who are undecided feel like chair umpires at a tennis match, head on a swivel.
    — Ian O'Connor, New York Times, 30 July 2026
Definition of pound
Noun
  • Sweden loses key piece The first half was a sloppy slugfest as both teams tried to use their physicality to assume control.
    — Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 June 2026
  • The Republican race for governor between Rick Jackson and Burt Jones has been nothing short of a slugfest.
    — Shannon McCaffrey, AJC.com, 10 June 2026
Definition of slugfest
Verb
  • Beijing lashed out, restricting vital commerce and the flow of Chinese tourists on which Japan – the world’s fourth-largest economy – depends.
    — Ann Scott Tyson, Christian Science Monitor, 29 July 2026
  • Koivun launched himself into the lead at TPC Twin Cities by lashing a 305-yard approach shot to 12 feet on the par-5 12th hole.
    — Gabby Herzig, New York Times, 28 July 2026
Definition of lash
Noun
  • About deluded coaches and philandering teammates and practice-field punch-ups.
    — Leander Schaerlaeckens June 8, Literary Hub, 8 June 2026
  • Among them are Neeson as a Great Gatsby-esque type who puts Declan in the hospital after a punch-up and Cleese as a priest who also doubles as the Grim Reaper.
    — Alex Ritman, Variety, 11 May 2026
Definition of punch-up

Browse Nearby Words

punching out
punch out
punch-out
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Punch out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/punch%20out. Accessed 4 Aug. 2026.

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