as in body blow
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as in to knock down
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of sucker punch
Eliot A. Cohen, The Atlantic, 26 Feb. 2026
The umpire tried to break up the scuffle, only to be sucker punched from behind by Aballi, police alleged.
—Ben Brachfeld, PEOPLE, 21 Jan. 2026
Tucker had a different take, saying that Fletcher was trying to sucker punch him.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 20 Jan. 2026
The Cowboys were down three members of an already-inept secondary in Denver, and Payton responded with an onslaught of sucker punches that never let up.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 26 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sucker punch
Verb
The State of the Union speeches of his recent predecessors have also been filled, as this one was, with sucker punches thrown at the opposition party.
—Eliot A. Cohen, The Atlantic, 26 Feb. 2026
The umpire tried to break up the scuffle, only to be sucker punched from behind by Aballi, police alleged.
—Ben Brachfeld, PEOPLE, 21 Jan. 2026
Tucker had a different take, saying that Fletcher was trying to sucker punch him.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 20 Jan. 2026
The Cowboys were down three members of an already-inept secondary in Denver, and Payton responded with an onslaught of sucker punches that never let up.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 26 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sucker punch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sucker punch
Noun
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The defeat was a significant body blow to Arsenal’s aspirations, but City’s 1-0 victory over Burnley can strangely be viewed in a positive light for them.—
Mark Carey,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
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The image of Pages making the catch, as Kiké Hernandez absorbs a body blow, is already seared into Dodgers lore.—
Doug Padilla,
Oc Register,
8 Mar. 2026
Verb
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French guard Marine Johannes was equally unstoppable, knocking down five 3-pointers to finish with 17 points on top of five rebounds, three assists and three steals.—
Emily Adams,
Hartford Courant,
9 May 2026
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The aftermath of the Supreme Court's 6-3 decision knocking down a key protection in the Voting Rights Act is reverberating across the nation.—
Phillip M. Bailey,
USA Today,
8 May 2026
Noun
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At the top right is the head of the dry river bed — where the life-size heron statue is — and the bed curves down to the driveway on the left.—
Caron Golden,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
9 May 2026
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The group, founded in 2019 to counter rising skepticism on the left toward the Jewish state, endorsed Assemblymember Jasmeet Bains for the seat in February.—
Mathew Miranda,
Sacbee.com,
9 May 2026
Verb
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But they were felled by poor shooting Friday, making just 35% overall and were particularly bad from long range.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
2 May 2026
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But before he was felled at age 68 by a heart attack, Joiner had shared what was in the briefcase with the lead Louisiana State Police investigator on the case, Stefan Montgomery, Joiner's son and the LSP confirmed.—
Stephanie Gosk,
NBC news,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Before your boss could match dance steps to the music, his opponent was already kicking him in the groin and throwing rabbit punches.—
Letters to the Editor,
Orlando Sentinel,
2 July 2024
Noun
-
The two heartthrobs have also become fashion icons in their own right.—
Dalila Muata,
NBC news,
5 May 2026
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The Declaration’s insurrectionist contention—that people, when unjustly provoked, have the right to dissolve their government—hung heavily in a country that had just witnessed the eleven states of the Confederacy make the same argument.—
Jelani Cobb,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
Verb
-
In the movie, Weaver gets decked out in an X-wing fighter jumpsuit – the legendary orange number worn by Hamill back in the day – and gets to pilot a starship.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
4 May 2026
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Two seventh-grade boys sat beside us, decked out in baseball jackets and caps.—
Peter Folan,
Boston Herald,
2 May 2026
Noun
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Now these teams will brace for a huge swing game in this series two nights from now.—
Corey Masisak,
Denver Post,
10 May 2026
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In the fifth, Eldridge unfurled his first truly impactful swing of the season with his mom and aunt in attendance.—
Justice delos Santos,
Mercury News,
10 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sucker punch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sucker%20punch. Accessed 12 May. 2026.
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