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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of punchy
Think Showtime’s The Agency without the geopolitical specificity or punchy dialogue.
—
Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 26 Dec. 2025
The spicy crema base balanced the smoky chicken, roasted corn, and punchy jalapeños perfectly, while the lime added a sharp, welcome spark.
—Evan Moore
december 23, Charlotte Observer, 23 Dec. 2025
Chorizo chili hot dogs leaning on Mexican oregano and cilantro or curry chicken pasta salad—punchy explorations to foster connections that bring me closer to my version of home.
—Bon Appétit Test Kitchen, Bon Appetit Magazine, 22 Dec. 2025
This punchy quote appears courtesy of Alyssa Mastromonaco, author, podcaster and former White House Deputy Chief of Staff; MacNicol interviewed her for the story.
—Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 22 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for punchy
Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 26 Dec. 2025
The spicy crema base balanced the smoky chicken, roasted corn, and punchy jalapeños perfectly, while the lime added a sharp, welcome spark.
—Evan Moore
december 23, Charlotte Observer, 23 Dec. 2025
Chorizo chili hot dogs leaning on Mexican oregano and cilantro or curry chicken pasta salad—punchy explorations to foster connections that bring me closer to my version of home.
—Bon Appétit Test Kitchen, Bon Appetit Magazine, 22 Dec. 2025
This punchy quote appears courtesy of Alyssa Mastromonaco, author, podcaster and former White House Deputy Chief of Staff; MacNicol interviewed her for the story.
—Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 22 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for punchy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for punchy
Adjective
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But plenty of people tell of being left dazed and destabilized by ayahuasca ceremonies and struggling to return to their previous lives; some make sudden life changes that only bring distress and further trauma.—
Mattha Busby,
Rolling Stone,
16 Jan. 2026
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The slightly dazed look of someone who has just emerged from an eight-hour surgery.—
Matthew Kayser,
Ascend Agency,
16 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Goedert scored his second touchdown on a fourth-and-2 leaving a confused Malik Mustapha behind him in the left flat.—
Chris Biderman,
Sacbee.com,
12 Jan. 2026
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Yet many of its citizens feel both whiplashed and confused.—
Margaret Talbot,
New Yorker,
11 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The usually positive Gauff went negative, lacked energy and seemed bewildered and overwhelmed.—
Merlisa Lawrence Corbett,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
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Since his starring days at Gonzaga, Timme has earned bewildered double takes.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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One of the impacts of the terminations was that instead of guiding my lab towards the studies to prevent or treat cancer, I’ve been extremely distracted by efforts to try to raise money to support the lab.—
Anne Applebaum,
The Atlantic,
23 Jan. 2026
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Many people are just so distracted by their screens and scrolling they nosh at a faster pace.—
Jamie Friedlander Serrano,
Time,
22 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Signs of dehydration include dry mouth and throat, infrequent urination and feeling dizzy when standing up.—
James Powel,
USA Today,
14 Jan. 2026
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Some people may feel dizzy or faint when working out in a fasted state, which can be dangerous if lifting heavy weights.—
Jillian Kubala,
Health,
8 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The children watched in stunned silence.—
Miami Herald Archives,
Miami Herald,
27 Jan. 2026
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Sean Payton went to a podium in street clothes, told reporters Nix was out for the season with a fractured ankle, and the Broncos’ locker room came away as stunned as the rest of the world.—
Luca Evans,
Denver Post,
24 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Punchy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/punchy. Accessed 30 Jan. 2026.
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