as in licking
to strike repeatedly
you should take a course in anger management—you can't go around punching out people
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Recent Examples of punching out
Danny Nelson starred again from the mound for Leominster in a 4-1 win over Shepherd Hill, allowing just three hits while punching out 10 in a complete game.
—
Kristina Banahan, Boston Herald, 20 May 2026
The third frame was his sharpest, with Snell pitching around a two-out error from Kim and punching out Jorge Mateo on a curveball to end his night.
—Katie Woo, New York Times, 10 May 2026
Pérez looked in control almost immediately, striking out Garrett Mitchell to begin the game and punching out five through his first three innings.
—Noah Gulley, Miami Herald, 19 Apr. 2026
On Azaelea, the iconic 13th hole, McIlroy was again way offline, punching out from the pine straw and hitting a security rope on the ground.
—Don Riddell, CNN Money, 12 Apr. 2026
In the bottom of the eighth, former Giant Camilo Doval struck out the side, punching out Ramos, Casey Schmitt and Patrick Bailey — all swinging.
—Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 27 Mar. 2026
The 24-year-old Sasaki threw a smooth 16 pitches, punching out the right-handed hitting Zavala, and inducing a pair of groundballs to shortstop from the lefty Kim.
—Jack Vita, Los Angeles Times, 15 Feb. 2026
This bumps displacement from the Shiver's 896cc up to 996cc, punching out 105 hp at 9,000 rpm and 66 lb-ft of torque (95 Nm) at 6,500 rpm.
—New Atlas, 27 Dec. 2025
Two-time Cy Young award winner Blake Snell tossed six scoreless innings, punching out nine and allowing just one hit.
—Gabe Smallson, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Oct. 2025
Kristina Banahan, Boston Herald, 20 May 2026
The third frame was his sharpest, with Snell pitching around a two-out error from Kim and punching out Jorge Mateo on a curveball to end his night.
—Katie Woo, New York Times, 10 May 2026
Pérez looked in control almost immediately, striking out Garrett Mitchell to begin the game and punching out five through his first three innings.
—Noah Gulley, Miami Herald, 19 Apr. 2026
On Azaelea, the iconic 13th hole, McIlroy was again way offline, punching out from the pine straw and hitting a security rope on the ground.
—Don Riddell, CNN Money, 12 Apr. 2026
In the bottom of the eighth, former Giant Camilo Doval struck out the side, punching out Ramos, Casey Schmitt and Patrick Bailey — all swinging.
—Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 27 Mar. 2026
The 24-year-old Sasaki threw a smooth 16 pitches, punching out the right-handed hitting Zavala, and inducing a pair of groundballs to shortstop from the lefty Kim.
—Jack Vita, Los Angeles Times, 15 Feb. 2026
This bumps displacement from the Shiver's 896cc up to 996cc, punching out 105 hp at 9,000 rpm and 66 lb-ft of torque (95 Nm) at 6,500 rpm.
—New Atlas, 27 Dec. 2025
Two-time Cy Young award winner Blake Snell tossed six scoreless innings, punching out nine and allowing just one hit.
—Gabe Smallson, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for punching out
Verb
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Even small exposures—such as licking pollen off fur or drinking water from a vase containing lilies—can be toxic.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
15 May 2026
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Vietnamese-style sweet-and-spicy chicken wings are a hot, finger-licking mess.—
Brock Keeling,
Oc Register,
13 May 2026
Verb
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The segments that follow Bonnier de La Chapelle are admittedly more successful and sophisticated, bringing to mind the heart-pounding essence of a Costa-Gavras political thriller.—
Tomris Laffly,
Variety,
25 May 2026
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Moore and Kaveon Jackson took turns pounding the ball on the ground and then Nordman hit Moore with the big touchdown from 15 yards out that set off a wild DeLand celebration on the Bulldogs’ sideline.—
Chris Hays,
The Orlando Sentinel,
23 May 2026
Verb
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The woman’s daughter showed investigators video footage showing Robinson rifling through the woman’s drawers, selecting items and hiding them on her body.—
Kairi Lowery,
Miami Herald,
5 June 2026
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Eggs or young cockroaches may be hiding in them.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
4 June 2026
Verb
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Putin is lashing out by intensifying assaults on civilian targets, especially in the capital city of Kyiv.—
Steve Forbes,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
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Goldschmidt, lashing through the unhittable delivery, just stood in dismay.—
Mitch Bannon,
New York Times,
26 May 2026
Verb
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On Wednesday, the judge said that Sidhu had been given speeding penalties before the crash and had been working over 26 hours, with 16 of them being behind the wheel, per CBC.—
Gabrielle Rockson,
PEOPLE,
15 May 2026
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Raw came back from break with all three teams taking turns working over Akira Tozawa.—
Alfred Konuwa,
Forbes.com,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Throughout the record, the image of Petras’ life in freefall recurs, giving the record a sense of hair-whipping freedom and heart-stopping urgency.—
Harry Tafoya,
Pitchfork,
2 June 2026
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In baseball news, Screencaps the III got his very first legitimate hit of the season by lacing one over the second baseman's head last night with winds whipping 20-25 mph off Lake Erie.—
Joe Kinsey OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
22 May 2026
Verb
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Every generation eventually rewrites George Washington, which tells you less about Washington than about the country doing the rewriting.—
Philip Martin,
Arkansas Online,
30 May 2026
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Pritzker has proposed a social media tax projected to bring in about $200 million from large tech companies doing business in Illinois.—
Jeremy Gorner,
Chicago Tribune,
30 May 2026
Verb
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Denny Hamlin, Christopher Bell and Chase Briscoe beating and banging all the way to the checkers.—
Zach Dean OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
1 June 2026
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Competitor Ross saw comparable sales jump a staggering 17%, beating expectations of 9%, and also attributed some of its outsize growth to extra stimulus.—
Gabrielle Fonrouge,
CNBC,
1 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Punching out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/punching%20out. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
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