as in licks
to strike repeatedly
you should take a course in anger management—you can't go around punching out people
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for punches out
Verb
-
While Deborah licks her wounds from bombing very, very hard, the Frank interview plays.—
Jessica M. Goldstein,
Vulture,
1 May 2026 -
After the drill, Ruin rolls onto his back, then licks a reporter's nose.—
Megan Sauer
Tasia Jensen,
CNBC,
14 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
That game enabled the younger brother to mentally shift from a pitcher prone to walks to a pitcher who now consistently pounds the zone.—
Kyle Newman,
Denver Post,
4 May 2026
-
Irons pounds the drums like Bam-Bam smashing on two garbage-can lids.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Two-year-old Mala Audio Bar sets its cocktails to the crackle of vintage vinyl, while Konbini hides behind a grocery storefront, opening into a Colombian-Japanese speakeasy where disco and highballs collide amid a beautiful crowd.—
Allie Lazar,
Condé Nast Traveler,
6 May 2026
-
More than 2,500 shoppers have given it a perfect rating, and reviewers appreciate that the lightweight formula hides dark circles — without settling into fine lines.—
Isabel Garcia,
PEOPLE,
6 May 2026
Verb
-
Continue reading … LATE-NIGHT LAMENT — Colbert lashes out at CBS, says cancellation ‘reinforced a narrative’ of ‘knee bending’ to Trump.—
,
FOXNews.com,
7 May 2026
-
Trump lashes out at NATO and the Pope, again.—
Jim Edwards,
Fortune,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
New York quite like this tune (though there is one a little later on the list that beats this puppy in that category).—
Austin Perry OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
9 May 2026
-
Nothing beats a weekend getaway to a small town.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
9 May 2026
Verb
-
The Dark Knight Rises (2012) Those of us who love her were able to finally take a breather on this one when the film bros eventually shut up and were able to admit that Hathaway totally whips ass in this franchise closer.—
Chris Feil,
Vulture,
1 May 2026
-
Canty is one of the coaches who whips students into shape.—
Terell Bailey,
CBS News,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Its line-of-sight communication works over 50 miles, and satellite links can extend this for longer-range operations.—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
1 May 2026
-
If a dozen new works over four days isn’t enough, try cramming 50 plays by 50 playwrights into a single day.—
Jed Gottlieb,
Boston Herald,
1 May 2026
Verb
-
California does a good job verifying its voter rolls, but there’s no harm in requiring an ID provided the requirements don’t create excessive hurdles for those who may not have a driver’s license.—
The Editorial Board,
Oc Register,
7 May 2026
-
Aub says that in general, curly hair does best with gentle, hydrating formulas that can both cleanse the scalp without sacrificing the integrity of the curl pattern.—
Aimee Simeon,
Glamour,
7 May 2026
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.
Cite this Entry
“Punches out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/punches%20out. Accessed 10 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
