punched up; punching up; punches up
: to give energy or forcefulness to
jokes added to punch up a speech
Examples of punch-up in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Fran Hoepfner, The Atlantic, 6 Mar. 2024
In the hands of the endlessly inventive comedian, the tale of a boy who pulls himself up by his bootstraps and seeks out fame and fortune becomes a madcap delight complete with a zingy script, cartoonish punch-ups, collapsing sets, and a heady dose of magical realism.
—Radhika Seth, Vogue, 22 Feb. 2024
Ella Riley-Adams Jamie Sims Alice Newell-Hanson Jameson Montgomery Jameson Montgomery Caitie Kelly MacKenzie Oster, New York Times, 6 June 2024
Neutral has the least contrast, which is useful for difficult lighting situations, and Vivid punches up saturation and contrast.
—PCMAG, 31 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for punch-up 
Noun
The book is a loving punch-up, dark and biting, about how the film industry makes and breaks its own, but there’s nothing better than a comeback story.
—Fran Hoepfner, The Atlantic, 6 Mar. 2024
In the hands of the endlessly inventive comedian, the tale of a boy who pulls himself up by his bootstraps and seeks out fame and fortune becomes a madcap delight complete with a zingy script, cartoonish punch-ups, collapsing sets, and a heady dose of magical realism.
—Radhika Seth, Vogue, 22 Feb. 2024
Verb
The actor Simu Liu wore a De Beers diamond brooch to the Oscars, while the actor and musician Donald Glover sported a Cartier panther pin at the Met Gala, showcasing the accessory’s potential for punching up a suit.
—Ella Riley-Adams Jamie Sims Alice Newell-Hanson Jameson Montgomery Jameson Montgomery Caitie Kelly MacKenzie Oster, New York Times, 6 June 2024
Neutral has the least contrast, which is useful for difficult lighting situations, and Vivid punches up saturation and contrast.
—PCMAG, 31 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for punch-up
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'punch-up.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near punch-up
Cite this Entry
“Punch-up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/punch-up. Accessed 4 Jul. 2024.
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