Synonyms of punching

punching

verb

present participle of punch

1

as in slapping

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

• slapping
• hitting
• smacking
• knocking
• slamming
• banging
• clapping
• whacking
• pounding
• striking
• clipping
• swiping
• cracking
• kicking
• batting
• bashing
• tapping
• nailing
• jabbing
• shoving
• boxing
• thumping
• hammering
• pushing
• poking
• swatting
• slugging
• licking
• flicking
• stabbing
• chopping
• thwacking
• bobbing
• bludgeoning
• clobbering
• socking
• zapping
• bopping
• rapping
• tagging
• pasting
• clocking
• clouting
• smiting
• busting
• bumping
• belting
• stroking
• bonking
• walloping
• slogging
• biffing
• whaling
• beating
• pummeling
• battering
• slashing
• stamping
• mauling
• cuffing
• roughing
• mangling
• lashing
• hanging one on
• peppering
• pelting
• whipping
• dumping
• kneeing
• scuffing
• butting
• lambasting
• jostling
• buffeting
• prodding
• bunging
• lacing
• flailing
• drubbing
• bunting
• creaming
• spearing
• switching
• clubbing
• felling
• pommeling
• sapping
• thrashing
• cudgeling
• flogging
• bowling (down or over)
• decking
• braining
• leveling
• knocking down
• caning
• sledging
• sucker punching
• conking
• sledgehammering
• flooring
• skulling
• rabbit-punching
• beaning

2

as in drilling

to make a hole or series of holes in

punch a ticket

Synonyms & Similar Words

• drilling
• piercing
• poking
• puncturing
• perforating
• tapping
• holing
• riddling
• boring
• cutting
• penetrating
• slashing
• breaking
• pricking
• splitting
• broaching
• excavating
• slitting
• grooving
• gouging
• prickling
• hollowing
• rupturing
• rending
• notching
• burrowing (into)
• gashing

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• filling
• sealing
• plugging
• patching

3

as in driving

to urge, push, or force onward

cowboys punching cattle

Synonyms & Similar Words

• driving
• running
• herding
• shepherding
• whipping
• pressing
• wrangling
• goading
• prodding
• pricking
• spurring
• exhorting
• hounding
• flogging
• prompting
• egging
• scourging

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of punching

But that hasn’t stopped one of the country’s increasingly renowned grape-growing regions from punching well above its weight. — Tori Latham, Robb Report, 18 July 2026

Video footage of the incident appears to show two officers struggling with Hardy, with one of them punching her before taking her to the ground. — Hema Sivanandam, Mercury News, 17 July 2026

Days after he was arrested for that incident, Wardlaw was back in custody for allegedly punching and kicking another man, court records showed. — Alex Brizee, Idaho Statesman, 15 July 2026

Then other students took turns slapping, pinching and punching the boy. — Jennifer Smith Richards, ProPublica, 15 July 2026

And Haslem shot right back at Green on X on Sunday night, again calling out Green for punching former Warriors teammate Jordan Poole during a practice in October 2022. — Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 14 July 2026

That was not a guy punching somebody in the face or anything, that would be different. — Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 14 July 2026

Crucially, this defensive awareness is coupled with a cultured calmness on the ball, keeping possession ticking over but capable of punching the ball forward to team-mates ahead of him. — Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 13 July 2026

At the same hearing in May, Cooper answered another question the way Hegseth might have—by punching back. — Missy Ryan, The Atlantic, 10 July 2026