as in dazed
suffering from mental confusion
feeling a little punchy after being up half the night with a crying baby
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Recent Examples of punchy
It all gets topped with the bright, punchy tuna mixture.
—
Nina Moskowitz, Bon Appetit Magazine, 10 May 2026
The Mississippi Comeback Burger is our ode to some of the tangy, punchy flavors of the Magnolia State—both comeback sauce and the bite of pepperoncini, a key part of Mississippi Pot Roast.
—Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 10 May 2026
Honeydew melon, white carrot, cucumber, and napa cabbage combine with rice noodles and shredded tofu to create a monochromatic statement—all of it doused in a punchy sesame-ginger dressing that makes the white-on-white situation anything but quiet.
—Maggie Meyer Glisan, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 May 2026
The piquant dish is lacquered with strawberry-guajillo barbecue sauce, while a punchy coleslaw with Fresno chile vinaigrette rounds things out.
—Carolyn Burt, Oc Register, 1 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for punchy
Nina Moskowitz, Bon Appetit Magazine, 10 May 2026
The Mississippi Comeback Burger is our ode to some of the tangy, punchy flavors of the Magnolia State—both comeback sauce and the bite of pepperoncini, a key part of Mississippi Pot Roast.
—Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 10 May 2026
Honeydew melon, white carrot, cucumber, and napa cabbage combine with rice noodles and shredded tofu to create a monochromatic statement—all of it doused in a punchy sesame-ginger dressing that makes the white-on-white situation anything but quiet.
—Maggie Meyer Glisan, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 May 2026
The piquant dish is lacquered with strawberry-guajillo barbecue sauce, while a punchy coleslaw with Fresno chile vinaigrette rounds things out.
—Carolyn Burt, Oc Register, 1 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for punchy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for punchy
Adjective
-
As more miners turn up dead, Cher, a dazed young woman appears, seductive, ravenous and out for blood.—
Liz Shackleton,
Deadline,
13 May 2026
-
Emotions boiled over earlier in the period after Senators defenseman Tyler Kleven crushed Hurricanes counterpart Alexander Nikishin with a huge hit that left the Russian dazed and needing help off the ice.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
25 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Indeed, Mary Hartman was a confused—and confusing—protagonist for a country in the midst of second-wave feminism.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 May 2026
-
Lawsuits have been filed in response and some, including Cassidy and Fleming, warn the move is leaving voters confused.—
Gaby Vinick,
ABC News,
16 May 2026
Adjective
-
Everyone was so relieved to see how bewildered everyone else was that the feeling in this place was almost festive.—
James Wood,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
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Numerous cryptocurrency novices become bewildered by intricate decals and fluctuating percentages.—
Malana VanTyler,
Miami Herald,
29 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Screen time has become a default rather than an intentional choice for harried teachers and distracted students.—
Will Oremus,
The Atlantic,
16 May 2026
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Coltrane’s tactical heist operations begin to unravel and land him on the police’s radar when one of his crew members becomes distracted during multiple jobs.—
Taylor Ardrey,
USA Today,
15 May 2026
Adjective
-
Some adolescents may appear dizzy, disoriented or unusually fatigued.—
Katia Hetter,
CNN Money,
15 May 2026
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In another clip, the deer continues to prance around the meadow, once again spinning in circles and once again appearing to grow dizzy.—
Rachel Raposas,
PEOPLE,
13 May 2026
Adjective
-
The situation only worsens after 9/11, the immediate, unreal impact of which Rivilis sharply captures with a steady pan across a classroom of stunned students, their faces in various states of stricken disbelief, if not simply in their hands.—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
20 May 2026
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Josh Anderson, Jake Evans and Nick Suzuki scored in the second period Thursday night to rally the Canadiens to a 6-3 win over the Buffalo Sabres in Game 5 before a stunned KeyBank Center crowd.—
Arpon Basu,
New York Times,
15 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Punchy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/punchy. Accessed 22 May. 2026.
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