1
as in slaps
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
Relevance
2
as in drills
to make a hole or series of holes in
punch a ticket
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in blows
a hard strike with a part of the body or an instrument
the poor palooka wasn't able to land a single punch on his opponent
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in punctures
a mark or small hole made by a pointed instrument
old computers used to get information by reading the punches on a series of cards
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of punches
Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Feb. 2026
But for a city of under 60,000 year-round residents, this place punches well above its weight class.
—Brad Japhe, Travel + Leisure, 10 Feb. 2026
Kingsley Ibeh, right, punches Jarrell Miller during a heavyweight boxing match in New York City on Saturday.
—Isabel Yip, NBC news, 1 Feb. 2026
For podcasts, streams, voiceovers and video calls, this unit punches above its weight.
—New Atlas, 24 Jan. 2026
This is really reminding me of that House episode where the runway model punches another model out and then collapses on the catwalk.
—Emma Specter, Vogue, 22 Jan. 2026
Housing is one of those sectors that punches above its weight, thanks to all the other purchases that come with the purchase of a new home, such as services, appliances, furniture, and so on.
—Zev Fima, CNBC, 19 Jan. 2026
In frame two, Gonzalez punches the ball through to Foden, who rotates with Doku to drift into a pocket of space.
—Thom Harris, New York Times, 12 Jan. 2026
Coley punches back, and Sonya manages to pull her off of him.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 17 Dec. 2025
Ethan Stone, USA Today, 20 Feb. 2026
Through punches and pummeling, cheating and cursing, their bond remained (mostly) intact.
—Jillian Sederholm, Entertainment Weekly, 20 Feb. 2026
Despite the punches, Chase is OK with his portrayal.
—Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 20 Feb. 2026
Like wrestling, jiujitsu emphasizes takedowns, control and submission holds instead of punches or kicks.
—Patrick Z. McGavin, Chicago Tribune, 16 Feb. 2026
Its lacing system moves away from traditional hole punches for all but its two upper eyestays, with the rest replaced by cord loops that allow for a more personalized fit.
—Ian Servantes, Footwear News, 13 Feb. 2026
This modest but super-smart production punches way above its weight.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 13 Feb. 2026
Bridges and Duren exchanged punches at one point, and Stewart left the bench and fought with Bridges.
—Los Angeles Times, 11 Feb. 2026
The two exchanged punches before Stewart grabbed hold of Bridges and put him in a headlock, before coaches, security and players finally separated everyone involved.
—Hunter Patterson, New York Times, 11 Feb. 2026
Verb
Hong Kong’s Mighty Mini-Island Cheung Chau, the pint-sized powerhouse of an island, punches well above its weight in charm and chill vibes.
—Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Feb. 2026
But for a city of under 60,000 year-round residents, this place punches well above its weight class.
—Brad Japhe, Travel + Leisure, 10 Feb. 2026
Kingsley Ibeh, right, punches Jarrell Miller during a heavyweight boxing match in New York City on Saturday.
—Isabel Yip, NBC news, 1 Feb. 2026
For podcasts, streams, voiceovers and video calls, this unit punches above its weight.
—New Atlas, 24 Jan. 2026
This is really reminding me of that House episode where the runway model punches another model out and then collapses on the catwalk.
—Emma Specter, Vogue, 22 Jan. 2026
Housing is one of those sectors that punches above its weight, thanks to all the other purchases that come with the purchase of a new home, such as services, appliances, furniture, and so on.
—Zev Fima, CNBC, 19 Jan. 2026
In frame two, Gonzalez punches the ball through to Foden, who rotates with Doku to drift into a pocket of space.
—Thom Harris, New York Times, 12 Jan. 2026
Coley punches back, and Sonya manages to pull her off of him.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 17 Dec. 2025
Noun
After ensuring the donor area is properly numbed, the medical team will remove individual hair grafts one by one with tiny punches.
—Ethan Stone, USA Today, 20 Feb. 2026
Through punches and pummeling, cheating and cursing, their bond remained (mostly) intact.
—Jillian Sederholm, Entertainment Weekly, 20 Feb. 2026
Despite the punches, Chase is OK with his portrayal.
—Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 20 Feb. 2026
Like wrestling, jiujitsu emphasizes takedowns, control and submission holds instead of punches or kicks.
—Patrick Z. McGavin, Chicago Tribune, 16 Feb. 2026
Its lacing system moves away from traditional hole punches for all but its two upper eyestays, with the rest replaced by cord loops that allow for a more personalized fit.
—Ian Servantes, Footwear News, 13 Feb. 2026
This modest but super-smart production punches way above its weight.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 13 Feb. 2026
Bridges and Duren exchanged punches at one point, and Stewart left the bench and fought with Bridges.
—Los Angeles Times, 11 Feb. 2026
The two exchanged punches before Stewart grabbed hold of Bridges and put him in a headlock, before coaches, security and players finally separated everyone involved.
—Hunter Patterson, New York Times, 11 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for punches
Verb
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Boston Blue slaps a fresh coat of paint on Blue Bloods, the CBS procedural that ended its 14-season run last year.—
Randall Colburn,
Entertainment Weekly,
20 Dec. 2025
-
Speaking with Cocoa Butter about her most memorable roles, Calloway revealed that the moment Ike slaps Jackie came across so emotional and raw because the stunt went wrong.—
Angela Andaloro,
PEOPLE,
5 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Everette, who with punter Brett Thorson and long snapper Beau Gardner are the former Bulldogs competing in Senior Bowl drills this week, is adjusting to life after Georgia football.—
Mike Griffith,
AJC.com,
29 Jan. 2026
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Every college and pro coach drills the same message into their players’ heads, nothing good happens after midnight.—
Ryan Gaydos , Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
16 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Singleton said that preparation is rooted in a broader understanding of what actually drives trafficking around major sporting events.—
Cierra Morgan,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Feb. 2026
-
The message drives a grieving John to Carolyn’s East Village apartment, where the pair share their first kiss — signaling the official beginning of their romance at the end of that third episode.—
Lexi Carson,
HollywoodReporter,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The firefall is a natural phenomenon that occurs when the setting sunlight perfectly hits Horsetail Fall, a waterfall on El Capitan, turning the falls into a brilliant cascade of liquid fire.—
Owen Clarke,
Outside,
18 Feb. 2026
-
Some schools in northern Minnesota have announced closures and delays on Wednesday as a winter storm hits the area.—
Anthony Bettin,
CBS News,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Because of the way the director works, emotions tend to be more discussed than felt, although there’s something about Carla’s desperation that pierces through all the soberness.—
Jordan Mintzer,
HollywoodReporter,
17 Feb. 2026
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Nothing that pierces the skin should ever be used as leverage over a child's opportunity to education and to learn.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
12 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Next, with the lights off, Dana runs a black light over Ilana’s body.—
Senior Television,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Feb. 2026
-
The Downtown Dot, a free shuttle service operated by the local transit authority, runs seven days a week and stops near hotels, restaurants and attractions in the city’s core.—
Adam Kuehl,
New York Times,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Her child’s classmates now discuss what to do if ICE knocks on their door.—
Anna Moeslein,
Glamour,
7 Feb. 2026
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Before the Michigan game, the main knocks against Fears were his penchant for trash talk on the court and his ability to pester opponents and draw fouls on them.—
Joe Rexrode,
New York Times,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The posts included more than a dozen images that showed bruises and other wounds on her body, holes in the wall and broken cabinets.—
Jane Harper,
Dallas Morning News,
18 Feb. 2026
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Pierce holes in the cake so that the Bourbon Glaze can soak in.—
Patricia S York,
Southern Living,
16 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Punches.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/punches. Accessed 24 Feb. 2026.
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