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
Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 5 June 2025
This doesn’t sit well with Mia’s very jealous ex-boyfriend Connor (Aramis Knight, oozing villainy as if to the Karate Kid manor born), who gives Li a black eye with a vicious sucker punch.
—Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 28 May 2025
Killing Joel was a sucker punch, but forcing players to take on the identity of his killer?
—Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 27 May 2025
Yet Victoria feels sucker punched by Piper’s revelation, as if she’s never met her daughter before.
—Cyndy Etler, Hartford Courant, 28 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sucker punch
Verb
Floating around London’s Chelsea Flower Show as dusk is about to fall, the air is thick, the herbal scents of salvia and geranium offset by the minty nepeta and the flouncing citrus sucker punch of verbana.
—Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 5 June 2025
This doesn’t sit well with Mia’s very jealous ex-boyfriend Connor (Aramis Knight, oozing villainy as if to the Karate Kid manor born), who gives Li a black eye with a vicious sucker punch.
—Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 28 May 2025
Killing Joel was a sucker punch, but forcing players to take on the identity of his killer?
—Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 27 May 2025
Yet Victoria feels sucker punched by Piper’s revelation, as if she’s never met her daughter before.
—Cyndy Etler, Hartford Courant, 28 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sucker punch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sucker punch
Noun
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Most of the industry seems to view the measure as a body blow that will hurt tech companies’ ability to hire the best talent.—
Eva Roytburg,
Fortune,
22 Sep. 2025
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Ali went forward stiffly, his trunk and hips deeply bruised from Frazier’s body blows.—
Vann R. Newkirk II,
The Atlantic,
16 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Firefighters initially took a defensive stance, fighting the blaze from the outside the building to stop its spread, before knocking down the flames enough for crews to enter the business, which had its windows boarded up because of vandalism earlier in the week.—
Darrell Smith,
Sacbee.com,
2 Oct. 2025
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Stocks were knocked down a bit in afternoon trading by declines in key technology names like Palantir Technologies, Tesla and Nvidia.—
Sean Conlon,Pia Singh,
CNBC,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Onscreen, a bridezilla sent an equivalent table soaring through a banquet hall, felling at least one chandelier.—
Vince Aletti,
New Yorker,
3 Oct. 2025
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They’re supposed to do fine in extreme heat and snow, though residents of other cities have had to rescue them when they’ve been felled by weather.—
Scottie Andrew,
CNN Money,
3 Oct. 2025
Noun
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His first throw was tantamount to a layup, a play-action fake to the right that sprung fullback Kyle Juszczyk wide open to the left.—
Matt Barrows,
New York Times,
29 Sep. 2025
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Stewart was bundled up in a white winter jacket with a large fur hood on the left.—
Hannah Sacks,
PEOPLE,
29 Sep. 2025
Noun
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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
Verb
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The latter inspired the presentation setting, a reproduction of different vignettes and tableau vivants scattered across the rooms of the restaurant, while the pattern decked many of the spring lineup’s new addition.—
Martino Carrera,
Footwear News,
29 Sep. 2025
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Former 49ers mainstay Arik Armstead poked the ball from Purdy’s grasp, Lloyd decked Purdy from behind, and Foyesade Oluokun recovered the loose ball.—
Cam Inman,
Mercury News,
29 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The daycare owners also signed away their right to sue for flood damages, but the state did not place a restrictive covenant on their remaining property.—
Maia Rosenfeld,
ABC News,
1 Oct. 2025
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Republican Senators Rand Paul and Ted Cruz piped up in defense of Kimmel’s right to free speech without governmental interference.—
Sarah Stankorb,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The line is composed almost entirely of rich neutral hues of navy, gray, and cream with occasional pops of color that add interest without compromising elegance.—
Caroline Reilly,
Robb Report,
1 Oct. 2025
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In a medium mixing bowl, cream together butter, sugar and honey until well combined.—
Gretchen McKay,
Twin Cities,
12 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sucker punch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sucker%20punch. Accessed 6 Oct. 2025.
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