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

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

Humble and simple, this Tomato-Basil Chicken punches way above its weight. — Josh Miller, Southern Living, 28 June 2026

One area where the EM11 NL punches above its weight is connectivity. — Sascha Brodsky, PC Magazine, 21 June 2026

In the 2015 track, Sonya’s boyfriend finds them by the pool and starts cussing them out, pushing Coley to the ground, who, in turn, punches him. — Arushi Jacob, Variety, 19 June 2026

Food and drink The restaurant is intimate, with seating for 40, but the food punches way above its weight. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 June 2026

Noun

Jade Cargill and Lash Legend faced off as US Bank Stadium cheered, but Green and Stratton broke it up and neutralized the Black amazons with 10-count punches. — Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026

There were no punches thrown, just heated discussion about the result. — Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 25 July 2026

The aim in the cage is to knock the other guy’s block off, and then to pile on to the point of submission with a flurry of punches. — Joe Davidson, Sacbee.com, 25 July 2026

In Broad Strokes, Cohen pairs her signature belly laughs with plenty of gut punches. — Kase Wickman, Vanity Fair, 24 July 2026

Speaking with Spanish public broadcaster TVE on Thursday, July 23, de la Fuente reflected on Sunday’s fiery finish, when punches were thrown and Argentina’s Leandro Paredes was sent off. — Skyler Caruso, PEOPLE, 24 July 2026

New York Yankees shortstop José Caballero was at the center of a tense scene on Monday night — one in which benches cleared, words were exchanged, but no punches were thrown. — Brendan Kuty, New York Times, 21 July 2026

Skip the footwork and practice the punches from a stationary stance. — Jenessa Connor, Health, 21 July 2026

But despite evading some serious punches from Holloway, McGregor clearly wasn’t right. — Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 20 July 2026