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.
Recent Examples of punching bagNetflix has been a favourite punching bag for many in the French industry who blame declining box office on the rise of online viewing.—Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 16 Dec. 2022 Maybe my knee-jerk reaction just proved a key Harry & Meghan point: The Duchess of Sussex makes for an easy punching bag.—Kristen Baldwin and Darren Franich, EW.com, 14 Dec. 2022 This 205-pound heavyweight punching bag is a #1 best-seller on Amazon.—John Thompson, Men's Health, 14 Nov. 2022 Social media, often a punching bag here, took more hits this year.—Rob Pegoraro, USA TODAY, 8 Nov. 2022 See All Example Sentences for punching bag
The houseguests then voted between the two comp losers, and when Julie announced the results, Will was evicted by a vote of 3-2 and became the season’s second jury member.
—
Nick Caruso,
TVLine,
11 Sep. 2025
Instead of scrolling Twitter, read something about a cranky, divorced loser, like The Invisibility Cloak by Ge Fei, and translated by Canaan Morse.
Michael Cimino’s Heaven’s Gate, Kevin Costner’s Waterworld, Disney’s John Carter and, well, Cats, are a few major flops that audiences seemed to delight in, even if most people never saw the films themselves.
—
Jordan Mintzer,
HollywoodReporter,
5 Sep. 2025
Sancho is a star in Germany (a goal involvement every 95 minutes for Dortmund) but a flop in England (a goal involvement every 244 minutes for Man United and Chelsea combined).
Share