Synonyms of punches

punches 1 of 3

verb

present tense third-person singular of punch

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

• slaps
• hits
• knocks
• smacks
• slams
• claps
• bangs
• whacks
• strikes
• clips
• swipes
• pounds
• kicks
• cracks
• jabs
• bats
• nails
• boxes
• shoves
• bashes
• thumps
• taps
• swats
• hammers
• pokes
• licks
• thwacks
• socks
• pushes
• flicks
• bludgeons
• stabs
• belts
• zaps
• chops
• tags
• bobs
• wallops
• clocks
• slugs
• bops
• smites
• raps
• clouts
• pastes
• bonks
• clobbers
• biffs
• strokes
• whales
• bumps
• busts
• slogs
• beats
• stamps
• mauls
• pummels
• cuffs
• slashes
• batters
• knees
• hangs one on
• peppers
• lashes
• roughs
• laces
• pelts
• whips
• jostles
• buffets
• butts
• mangles
• dumps
• bunts
• scuffs
• drubs
• decks
• prods
• flails
• lambastes
• spears
• switches
• creams
• bowls (down or over)
• fells
• pommels
• brains
• clubs
• saps
• canes
• knocks down
• floors
• thrashes
• conks
• beans
• levels
• sucker punches
• bungs
• sledges
• cudgels
• skulls
• flogs
• sledgehammers
• rabbit-punches

2

as in drills

to make a hole or series of holes in

punch a ticket

Synonyms & Similar Words

• drills
• pierces
• holes
• pokes
• punctures
• taps
• perforates
• bores
• cuts
• riddles
• penetrates
• pricks
• breaks
• slashes
• broaches
• splits
• gouges
• slits
• grooves
• notches
• hollows
• prickles
• burrows (into)
• excavates
• rends
• ruptures
• gashes

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• fills
• seals
• plugs
• patches

3

as in drives

to urge, push, or force onward

cowboys punching cattle

Synonyms & Similar Words

• drives
• runs
• herds
• whips
• presses
• eggs
• shepherds
• pricks
• spurs
• prompts
• prods
• goads
• wrangles
• exhorts
• flogs
• scourges
• hounds

punches

2 of 3

noun (1)

plural of punch

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

• blows
• slaps
• swipes
• thuds
• hits
• thumps
• knocks
• pounds
• strokes
• whacks
• pokes
• smacks
• spanks
• licks
• bangs
• beats
• clips
• slams
• hooks
• claps
• swats
• haymakers
• kicks
• chops
• lashes
• cuffs
• socks
• belts
• hands
• switches
• pelts
• thwacks
• biffs
• welts
• stripes
• bops
• fillips
• hacks
• slugs
• raps
• bats
• knees
• whams
• bashes
• smashes
• buffets
• stingers
• picks
• clouts
• boxes
• wallops
• dabs
• lickings
• cracks
• plumps
• swings
• counterpunches
• whops
• busts
• douses
• beatings
• larrups
• uppercuts
• lefts
• counters
• shivers
• roundhouses
• counterblows
• rabbit punches
• sucker punches
• whips
• counterstrokes
• rights
• knockdowns
• body blows
• KOs
• whippings
• batterings
• thrashings
• right-handers
• knockouts
• crunchers
• kayos
• sidewinders
• one-twos
• pastings
• drubbings
• bastinadoes
• wallopings

punches

3 of 3

noun (2)

plural of punch

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

• punctures
• tears
• slits
• perforations
• cuts
• pricks
• pinholes
• stabs
• grooves
• pinpricks
• breaks
• slashes
• hollows
• gouges
• lacerations
• rips
• rents
• ruptures
• notches
• incisions
• gashes

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of punches

Verb

But there’s an irony here, in that the movie then punches down on Marjorie and her co-conspirators in turn. — Katie Rife, IndieWire, 14 Sep. 2026

The trooper then releases the man's hair and punches him in the face. — Daniel McFadin, Arkansas Online, 31 Aug. 2026

That Febreze bottle is empty and the scented candle burned out — the current Giants’ stink punches you right in the nose, mouth and eyes. — Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 17 Aug. 2026

After a 20-yard throw and catch, Andrew Chung to Yuto Kawamura-Johnson, Warriors RB Jayden Ammons punches it in for a 1-yard TD. — Buddy Collings, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 Aug. 2026

And if the pizza isn’t enticing enough, Urban Cowboy’s cocktail program punches far above its weight class. — Beth Rankin, Denver Post, 27 July 2026

As the officer is pinned down, one person repeatedly punches her in the head while another appears to strike her with an unidentified object before a second officer intervenes. — Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 6 July 2026

Plus, the contrast stitching throughout both the top and shorts gives it a polished look that punches well above its $37 price tag. — Jill Layton, PEOPLE, 4 July 2026

Canada goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau punches the ball clear as Bosnia's Tarik Muharemovic attempts to head the ball during a World Cup ground-stage match in Toronto on June 12, 2026. — Sean Gregory, Time, 30 June 2026

Noun

And by the way, with how shifty rookie Emmett Johnson has been at this level, Kansas City may quietly have one of the league’s best one-two punches. — Kansas City Star, 21 Sep. 2026

According to court testimony, Griffin’s younger brother had gotten into an argument; punches were thrown, and the younger brother fell or was pushed. — Jenisha Watts, The Atlantic, 20 Sep. 2026

Two blue and yellow humanoid robots attempted to beat each other up with punches twice as hard as Mike Tyson’s. — Matthew Martin, semafor.com, 14 Sep. 2026

For Villa, there were mitigating circumstances in this latest defeat by Glasner, yet the worry is they are still being caught with the same punches. — Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2026

The town, which has fewer than 1,000 residents and is just south of the Broward border, punches above its weight on the luxury real estate market. — Catherine Odom, Miami Herald, 9 Sep. 2026

Labor Day Gaming Laptop Deals For gamers and power users seeking solid performance under $1,000, the MSI Cyborg 15 punches well above its weight. — Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 8 Sep. 2026

Valparaiso Fire Department firefighter and paramedic Robert Cree pulled no punches. — Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 6 Sep. 2026

His legacy will be most remembered for two painful gut punches to Bruins tradition. — Mirjam Swanson, Los Angeles Times, 1 Sep. 2026