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
• licking
• slugging
• flicking
• stabbing
• chopping
• bobbing
• thwacking
• bludgeoning
• clobbering
• zapping
• socking
• bopping
• tagging
• rapping
• pasting
• clocking
• clouting
• smiting
• bumping
• busting
• belting
• stroking
• bonking
• walloping
• slogging
• biffing
• whaling
• beating
• pummeling
• pummelling
• slashing
• battering
• stamping
• mauling
• cuffing
• roughing
• mangling
• lashing
• hanging one on
• peppering
• pelting
• whipping
• dumping
• kneeing
• scuffing
• butting
• lambasting
• jostling
• buffeting
• prodding
• bunging
• lacing
• flailing
• drubbing
• pommelling
• bunting
• creaming
• spearing
• levelling
• switching
• clubbing
• felling
• pommeling
• sapping
• thrashing
• conking
• cudgeling
• flogging
• bowling (down or over)
• cudgelling
• decking
• braining
• leveling
• knocking down
• caning
• sledging
• sucker punching
• 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 a federal judge ruled against the police agency, concluding there was sufficient evidence to proceed to trial — including a neighbor's cell phone video that captured a trooper punching the man in the face and slamming him to the ground. —Tresa Baldas, Freep.com, 5 Sep. 2025

While the employees of Dunder Mifflin largely were just punching a clock, the Truth Teller staff enjoys their work. —Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 5 Sep. 2025

McGregor also pleaded guilty to assault for punching an elderly man in a pub in Dublin in 2019, and was banned from driving in Ireland for two years over six driving offences in 2022. —Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 5 Sep. 2025

Linehan’s more recent posts have included a call to assault trans women in public bathrooms by punching them in the genitals. —Samantha Riedel, Them., 4 Sep. 2025

The video, which bears a watermark suggesting it was livestreamed on the video platform Kick, showed Jackson straddling Smith before repeatedly punching him in the face and the side of his head, even when Smith was lying motionless. —Ben Morse, CNN Money, 1 Sep. 2025

According to court records obtained by The Columbus Dispatch, the woman accused McCullough of punching her in the face several times and grabbing her by the throat. —Paulina Dedaj, FOXNews.com, 1 Sep. 2025

Chadwick's death was yet another tough blow in 2020, which had already been a tough year in many ways, including in gut-punching celebrity deaths. —Stephanie Sengwe, People.com, 28 Aug. 2025

Hetherman harps on takeaways, and Smith is adept at punching the ball out of the hands of running backs and receivers. —Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 28 Aug. 2025