as in fisticuffs
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Recent Examples of punch-up
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
Two of the pilots are multi-camera shows, which are shot in front of a live audience and can benefit from the plethora of comedy writers who live in the area and serve as punch-up writers.
—Samantha Masunaga, Los Angeles Times, 5 May 2026
The vibe and verve are like Scott Pilgrim vs. the World meets Repo Man, but the material needed an extra punch-up at script stage.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 5 Feb. 2026
But comics depend on feedback – punch-ups from fellow comedians and reactions from audiences – iterating jokes in the same way lean startups may innovate new products.
—Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 25 Sep. 2025
That said, the negative reputation surrounding the last lines in Jones’ thorny adaptation — a punch-up from Ellison’s original text that’s meaner and more sexist, no doubt — seems outsized.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 11 July 2025
Often, when shows do crossovers, the writers on one will do punch-up for their characters on the other.
—Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 4 Jan. 2025
Toward the end there’s a punch-up, with several players involved.
—David Szalay, The New Yorker, 1 Dec. 2024
Of the new cast additions, only Ayoade is doing anything funny, but Xeni’s pretentious banter could have used a writerly punch-up from somebody like Richard Ayoade.
—Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Alex Ritman, Variety, 11 May 2026
Two of the pilots are multi-camera shows, which are shot in front of a live audience and can benefit from the plethora of comedy writers who live in the area and serve as punch-up writers.
—Samantha Masunaga, Los Angeles Times, 5 May 2026
The vibe and verve are like Scott Pilgrim vs. the World meets Repo Man, but the material needed an extra punch-up at script stage.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 5 Feb. 2026
But comics depend on feedback – punch-ups from fellow comedians and reactions from audiences – iterating jokes in the same way lean startups may innovate new products.
—Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 25 Sep. 2025
That said, the negative reputation surrounding the last lines in Jones’ thorny adaptation — a punch-up from Ellison’s original text that’s meaner and more sexist, no doubt — seems outsized.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 11 July 2025
Often, when shows do crossovers, the writers on one will do punch-up for their characters on the other.
—Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 4 Jan. 2025
Toward the end there’s a punch-up, with several players involved.
—David Szalay, The New Yorker, 1 Dec. 2024
Of the new cast additions, only Ayoade is doing anything funny, but Xeni’s pretentious banter could have used a writerly punch-up from somebody like Richard Ayoade.
—Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for punch-up
Noun
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The only provocation, Nguyen suggested, was when David — who had just been attacked by the suspect and his friends — challenged him to a fistfight in the plaza.—
Julia Prodis Sulek,
Mercury News,
19 May 2026
-
In Milan, Italy, a fistfight erupted.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
18 May 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
Noun
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From there, the two schools traded blows until intermission.—
Brendan Connelly,
Boston Herald,
2 June 2026
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According to the coroner, there was evidence of nine blows to the victim’s head and neck.—
Jonathan Franzen,
New Yorker,
1 June 2026
Noun
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Shortly after the verbal confrontation, Pelley was fired after an emergency meeting Tuesday.—
Natalie Oganesyan,
Deadline,
7 June 2026
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Shocking video captured the moments anti-ICE agitators were arrested outside Delaney Hall in Newark, New Jersey, Friday, during riotous confrontations.—
Alexandra Koch,
FOXNews.com,
6 June 2026
Noun
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In the melee, all but two of the buttons on his tuxedo shirt popped off.—
Kathleen Perricone,
Entertainment Weekly,
2 June 2026
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Justice Curtis Farber handed down the sentence to Alejandro Piedra, 32, for claiming the life of 38-year-old Clemson Cockfield, and grievously injuring the victim’s wife, Jennifer Cockfield, and another man, Jonathan Lopez, during a bloody melee on June 23, 2024.—
Molly Crane-Newman,
New York Daily News,
26 May 2026
Noun
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Most people aren’t focused on Advent calendars right now — those chocolates hidden under perforated punch-outs to celebrate each day of the season.—
Kevin Williams,
CNBC,
28 Mar. 2026
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During the portion of Thursday’s practice open to reporters, the Patriots practiced punch-out drills directly in front of reporters.—
Doug Kyed,
Boston Herald,
22 Dec. 2025
Noun
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Remember the legal brawl CEO Elon Musk faced over his $56 billion moonshot pay package at Tesla?—
Amanda Gerut,
Fortune,
6 June 2026
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Shia LaBeouf pleaded guilty Wednesday to three counts of simple battery and was sentenced to probation for a Mardi Gras brawl in New Orleans.—
Pat Saperstein,
Variety,
3 June 2026
Noun
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At a party, Onegin gets a bit handsy with his friend’s bride-to-be and Lensky has no choice, presumably, but to challenge the other man to a duel.—
Lauren Warnecke,
Chicago Tribune,
5 June 2026
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His impact in and out of possession is vital to Switzerland’s success, intercepting passes and winning duels off the ball, while building up the attacks and finding runners in behind with his passing ability.—
Ahmed Walid,
New York Times,
5 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Punch-up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/punch-up. Accessed 9 Jun. 2026.
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