as in fisticuffs
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Recent Examples of punch-up
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
The Oscar promo did end up being released, with the main concept intact but minus those punch-ups.
—Dade Hayes, Deadline, 13 Mar. 2025
In the hands of the endlessly inventive comedian, the tale of a boy who pulls himself up by his bootstraps and seeks out fame and fortune becomes a madcap delight complete with a zingy script, cartoonish punch-ups, collapsing sets, and a heady dose of magical realism.
—Radhika Seth, Vogue, 9 Feb. 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
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
The Oscar promo did end up being released, with the main concept intact but minus those punch-ups.
—Dade Hayes, Deadline, 13 Mar. 2025
In the hands of the endlessly inventive comedian, the tale of a boy who pulls himself up by his bootstraps and seeks out fame and fortune becomes a madcap delight complete with a zingy script, cartoonish punch-ups, collapsing sets, and a heady dose of magical realism.
—Radhika Seth, Vogue, 9 Feb. 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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In other footage of the unrest, two men were seen engaging in a fistfight outside the ICE facility before they were detained.—
Greg Norman , Bill Melugin,
FOXNews.com,
3 Oct. 2025
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Indiana got stuck in a traditional Kinnick Stadium fistfight before a late touchdown propelled the Hoosiers past Iowa, 20-15.—
Scott Dochterman,
New York Times,
29 Sep. 2025
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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Combs has seen a series of blows to his legal case in the past several weeks.—
Kevin Dolak,
HollywoodReporter,
27 Oct. 2025
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Once the final frame got underway, chaos ensued as the undefeated NEPSAC programs traded blows.—
Brendan Connelly,
Boston Herald,
26 Oct. 2025
Noun
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However, the saga unearths new layers in the second season as Natalia shares her harrowing experiences with her adoptive parents and has a face-to-face confrontation with Michael.—
James Mercadante,
PEOPLE,
25 Oct. 2025
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No one was injured during the confrontation, police said.—
Shannon Tyler,
Idaho Statesman,
25 Oct. 2025
Noun
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But Saturday in Austin stung McLaren greatly, as a melee at Turn 1 ended with its drivers touching and retiring, opening the door for Verstappen to make the maximum sprint win gain.—
Luke Smith,
New York Times,
19 Oct. 2025
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As teams met near midfield following the final whistle, Branch walked past Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, declining his handshake, and approached Smith‑Schuster; Branch then struck Smith‑Schuster in the face, knocking him down and drawing a brief melee that involved players from both teams.—
Rowan Fisher-Shotton,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 Oct. 2025
Noun
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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
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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
Noun
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These brawls further eroded democratic norms, while driving voters away from left-wing and moderate parties who seemed helpless to halt them.—
Time,
Time,
23 Oct. 2025
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Of the many people involved in the brawl, only Iverson and three other Black men were convicted.—
Andrew McGowan,
Variety,
23 Oct. 2025
Noun
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As the display came to a close, many fans expected to head back into the sixth inning of an intense 1-1 pitchers' duel.—
Gabe Smallson,
MSNBC Newsweek,
26 Oct. 2025
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In the first half, England won just 50 per cent of their duels; Brazil won 80 per cent.—
Megan Feringa,
New York Times,
26 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Punch-up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/punch-up. Accessed 28 Oct. 2025.
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