punched

verb

past tense of punch
1
as in slapped
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

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2
as in drilled
to make a hole or series of holes in punch a ticket

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in drove
to urge, push, or force onward cowboys punching cattle

Synonyms & Similar 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 punched Video shows part of arrest in Meridian Ten seconds into the initial video, the officer sitting on the man punched him, according to the footage. — Alex Brizee july 17, Idaho Statesman, 17 July 2026 Six minutes into the second half, Maradona challenged England goalkeeper Peter Shilton for a loose ball and punched it into the net with his left hand. — Larry Holder, New York Times, 15 July 2026 France punched its ticket to the final four after knocking out fan-favorite Morocco 3-1 on Thursday, while Spain advanced by beating Belgium 2-1 on Friday. — Patricio Chile, ABC News, 13 July 2026 Adebayo approached Herro and, without hesitation, punched him. — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 13 July 2026 Hill reportedly punched Zuniga, causing Zuniga to fall and hit his head. — Matthew Ablon, CBS News, 12 July 2026 Multiple people then kicked and punched one person lying on the ground as a few attendees and ushers broke up the fight, the videos showed. — Sean Campbell, Sacbee.com, 10 July 2026 Feig is at a high point thanks to The Housemaid, which punched above its weight class to earn more than $400 million globally on a $35 million budget. — Aaron Couch, HollywoodReporter, 9 July 2026 Bunch punched back in an email to staff, which the Post reprinted. — Devorah Lauter, ARTnews.com, 9 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for punched
  1. slapped
  2. drilled
  3. drove
  4. smacked
  5. pierced
  6. ran
  7. knocked
  8. poked
Verb
  • The younger sons were in their attic room, the oldest out somewhere, wooing the Guidry girl or playing cards with her brothers—when a stronger gust slapped the house.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 July 2026
  • Shia also revealed that another one of his former castmates, Weaver, allegedly slapped his father on the set of Holes.
    — Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 13 July 2026
Definition of slapped
Verb
  • If that weren’t enough, after Toronto made a hoop, Salaun drilled another triple to clinch the win, putting her thumb and two fingers in the air on her way back down the court.
    — Michael Nowels, Mercury News, 9 July 2026
  • Gauff drilled her footwork, working to optimize her explosive speed for a slippery surface on which hard stops and aggressive sprinting can often backfire.
    — Douglas Robson, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026
Definition of drilled
Verb
  • Tribal members drove around in a beat-up Buick flinging matches out the window.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 16 July 2026
  • Giant armored bulldozers—now Caterpillar model D9—stabbed their front blades into the ground and drove forward, flipping fields and shaving off orchards.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 July 2026
Definition of drove
Verb
  • The Tampa Bay Rays third baseman smacked a 463-foot whopper late last month.
    — Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 13 July 2026
  • Almost two years ago, China’s east coast was smacked by one of the strongest storms in decades, which temporarily halted container operations at both Shanghai and Ningbo ports.
    — Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 8 July 2026
Definition of smacked
Verb
  • In his first international meeting with England, Messi had a pair of assists on two late-match daggers that pierced through the hearts of Three Lions’ players and supporters.
    — Gavin Godfrey, AJC.com, 16 July 2026
  • Finally, in 2024 in Chicago, in an accidental shooting, the same bullet pierced a 16-year-old boy and a policeman.
    — Cal Chengqi Fang, The Conversation, 14 July 2026
Definition of pierced
Verb
  • Beth Bourne, one of the most prominent anti-transgender activists in California, is running for the Davis Joint Unified School District Board of Education.
    — Camryn Dadey, Sacbee.com, 18 July 2026
  • England went ahead of Argentina in the 55th minute of their semifinal, but Messi found another gear and set up both late goals to break England’s hearts and keep Argentina’s run alive.
    — Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 18 July 2026
Definition of ran
Verb
  • While setting up an attack near the France box, midfielder Dani Olmo overcame a hard challenge that knocked him down to play a through ball to Pedro Porro.
    — Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 July 2026
  • But England knocked Norway out of the tournament after a dramatic 2-1 victory.
    — Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 14 July 2026
Definition of knocked
Verb
  • It’s now understood that Russia in 2016 poked the election systems in all 50 states to check what protections were in place and accessed—but did not change—some very local registration rosters in Florida and Illinois.
    — Philip Elliott, Time, 17 July 2026
  • The teen said Jones poked his head through the doorway, then returned to the room and continued firing before leaving the apartment.
    — Eleanor Jacobs, PEOPLE, 17 July 2026
Definition of poked

Browse Nearby Words

punch-drunk
punched
punched out
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Cite this Entry

“Punched.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/punched. Accessed 20 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on punched

Nglish: Translation of punched for Spanish Speakers

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