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
Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 Sep. 2025
As members of two California gangs poured out of a Las Vegas boxing match in September 1996, Tupac Shakur, the most famous rapper in the country at the time, sucker punched a rival.
—Gina Barton, USA Today, 7 Sep. 2025
The Milwaukee County Transit System's $10.9 million deficit landed a sucker punch to county officials in June and resulted in service cuts — but records show the warning signs were there months earlier.
—Vanessa Swales, jsonline.com, 12 Aug. 2025
On June 15, 2019, Ramirez ran up behind a 26-year-old African American grocery store employee and sucker punched him, breaking the employee’s nose and damaging two of his front teeth.
—Sean Emery, Oc Register, 21 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for sucker punch
Verb
All that changed a few months before the shooting when Jones sucker punched Branton at a bar during an argument over a girlfriend.
—Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 Sep. 2025
As members of two California gangs poured out of a Las Vegas boxing match in September 1996, Tupac Shakur, the most famous rapper in the country at the time, sucker punched a rival.
—Gina Barton, USA Today, 7 Sep. 2025
The Milwaukee County Transit System's $10.9 million deficit landed a sucker punch to county officials in June and resulted in service cuts — but records show the warning signs were there months earlier.
—Vanessa Swales, jsonline.com, 12 Aug. 2025
On June 15, 2019, Ramirez ran up behind a 26-year-old African American grocery store employee and sucker punched him, breaking the employee’s nose and damaging two of his front teeth.
—Sean Emery, Oc Register, 21 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for sucker punch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sucker punch
Noun
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Jaxson Hayes delivered the final body blow, throwing down an Eastbay dunk in transition after stealing the ball from Josh Giddey to put the Lakers up by 14 with just under three minutes remaining.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Jan. 2026
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Repeated body blows from hurricanes, pollution, disease, climate change — and a near-knockout punch from a 2023 marine heat wave — has effectively wiped several species off the map and shrunk the reefs that stretch from the Keys throughout South Florida.—
Alex Harris,
Miami Herald,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
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On Friday evening, a black pickup truck crashed into the Brisbane Synagogue, knocking down its gates, before being driven away, Queensland Police said.—
Chris Lau,
CNN Money,
21 Feb. 2026
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Jamahl Mosley’s squad knocked down a franchise-record 27 3-pointers, finished with a 29-6 advantage in fastbreak scoring and scored 24 points off 19 takeaways in the 37-point victory to open a four-game road trip on the West Coast.—
Jason Beede,
The Orlando Sentinel,
20 Feb. 2026
Noun
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To cap matters, Aileen Shin connected from near mid-pool with one second left.—
Glae Thien,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
22 Feb. 2026
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Criticism also came from prominent figures on the left, including former French President François Hollande.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
21 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Cortina Mayor Gianluca Lorenzi received death threats after centuries-old trees were felled to make way for a $131 million bobsledding track.—
The Week US,
TheWeek,
9 Feb. 2026
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Afterward, Agnes and I were felled by the kind of hunger that overtakes only those who have exerted themselves in cold weather.—
Boris Fishman,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Feb. 2026
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
Noun
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The number of serious settler attacks including shootings, arson and other violent crimes has increased sharply each year since far-right politician Itamar Ben-Gvir, who spent his law career defending Jews who attacked Palestinians, became national security minister.—
AREF TUFAHA,
Arkansas Online,
24 Feb. 2026
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Centrist leaders in the United Kingdom, France and Germany resist spending a larger percentage of their strained budgets defending against a Russian threat that their far-right populist opponents might think can be easily negotiated away.—
Nick Paton Walsh,
CNN Money,
24 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The wife joined the fray, allegedly attacking another septuagenarian who tried to break up the melee after he was decked by her husband.—
Charles Selle,
Chicago Tribune,
23 Feb. 2026
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The swish of chainmail coming down the runway was audible, as models slinked down the catwalk decked in statement pelts and belts.—
Anika Reed,
USA Today,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Finding a consistent load to his swing at age 32, the Padres’ righty hit 50 home runs plus two more in Game 1 of the 1998 World Series.—
Tom Krasovic,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
21 Feb. 2026
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There are many, particularly in early June before the tournament goes into full swing and, obviously, after Kansas City’s last game, the quarter final on July 11.—
Eric Adler,
Kansas City Star,
21 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sucker punch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sucker%20punch. Accessed 24 Feb. 2026.
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