1
as in to slap
to deliver a blow to (someone or something) usually in a strong vigorous manner
after the man had punched the bartender for eighty-sixing him, bouncers stepped in and restrained him until the police could arrive
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Relevance
2
as in to drill
to make a hole or series of holes in
punch a ticket
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in impact
the quality of an utterance that provokes interest and produces an effect
the real punch of the speech came in its closing lines
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2
as in vigor
active strength of body or mind
we're going to need a candidate with real punch if voters are ever going to get excited about this election
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in blow
a hard strike with a part of the body or an instrument
the poor palooka wasn't able to land a single punch on his opponent
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in puncture
a mark or small hole made by a pointed instrument
old computers used to get information by reading the punches on a series of cards
Synonyms & Similar Words
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of punch
Jessica Bennett, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Dec. 2024
All 15 students were arrested last month for allegedly punching, kicking, spitting on and calling a man derogatory names after luring him into an off-campus apartment on Oct. 15 under false pretenses, according to Salisbury police.
—Nicole Acevedo, NBC News, 8 Dec. 2024
Taylor Giorno, The Hill, 10 Dec. 2024
Chargers lack the finishing punch (Ed Zurga / Associated Press)
The Chargers had 11 quarterback hits and three sacks of Patrick Mahomes in the first half.
—Thuc Nhi Nguyen, Los Angeles Times, 9 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for punch 
Verb
For wine or punch stains on clothing and linens, soak the item in cold water for 30 minutes, then apply white vinegar to the stain.
—Jessica Bennett, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Dec. 2024
All 15 students were arrested last month for allegedly punching, kicking, spitting on and calling a man derogatory names after luring him into an off-campus apartment on Oct. 15 under false pretenses, according to Salisbury police.
—Nicole Acevedo, NBC News, 8 Dec. 2024
Noun
In a one-two punch, a Washington state judge later ruled in a separate case against the companies and blocked the merger, citing the state’s consumer protection laws.
—Taylor Giorno, The Hill, 10 Dec. 2024
Chargers lack the finishing punch (Ed Zurga / Associated Press)
The Chargers had 11 quarterback hits and three sacks of Patrick Mahomes in the first half.
—Thuc Nhi Nguyen, Los Angeles Times, 9 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for punch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for punch
Verb
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Last month, Trump proposed slapping a 25% tariff on imports from both Mexico and Canada, two of the United States' biggest trading partners.Scott Horsley, NPR, 15 Dec. 2024
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No final decisions on either personnel or strategy on Iran have been made official yet by Trump, including whether to slap fresh sanctions on the country, pursue diplomacy or both in order to halt their nuclear program.Trevor Hunnicutt and Steve Holland, USA TODAY, 12 Dec. 2024
Verb
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James showed off a variety of skills, draining two off-the-dribble 3-pointers, catching an alley-oop off a backdoor cut, finishing multiple times at the rim through traffic, drilling a couple of mid-range jumpers, and blocking a 3-pointer.Jovan Buha, The Athletic, 13 Dec. 2024
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The surgeon drills through the mastoid bone, creating a path allowing the electrodes to reach the cochlea.Kelly Burch Published, Verywell Health, 11 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Slice has released exclusive apps that accommodate popular contactless payment solutions and enable convenient QR technology to drive self-service experiences among other improvements.Chris Gallagher, USA TODAY, 16 Dec. 2024
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San Jose police asked for the public’s help on Saturday finding Yasmin Carrera-Bravo, who was allegedly forced into a vehicle at her home in the 1300 block of Lexington Drive at about 10:45 p.m. Friday by a man who had driven there.Bay City News Service, The Mercury News, 15 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Nobody will mind if they get smacked in the head by a selfie stick, or buzzed by a drone.Frederick Dreier, Outside Online, 9 Nov. 2024
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With the score sitting at 14-10, Crabb smacked the ball at Banesh who parried it, his touch giving Partain the option to pass it back to his teammate.Aaron Heisen, Orange County Register, 9 Nov. 2024
Verb
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Hozier has spent his entire career as a road warrior, gradually leveling up in terms of venue size — and earning lifelong fans with his live combination of low-key charisma and soaring singalongs, elevated by his piercing baritone — but making sure not to skip steps, or markets.Andrew Unterberger, Billboard, 12 Dec. 2024
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Singer Rob Halford screamed for vengeance with piercing luster while the unassailable tandem of Ian Hill and Scott Travis manufactured rhythmic foundations rooted in the pounding roar of the steel factories that once dominated the band’s Birmingham, England, hometown.Bob Gendron, Chicago Tribune, 12 Dec. 2024
Verb
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The Hoosier cabinet made the kitchen easier to navigate and more accessible to middle-class housewives in particular who had largely depended on housekeepers to run their kitchens.Michelle Mastro, JSTOR Daily, 18 Dec. 2024
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In early 1976, notorious shyster Morris Levy, known for mob connections and running a successful record label without paying a cent to any artists on it, made a discovery.Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 18 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Mixed precipitation hits Midwest The arctic blast is gone and warmer weather is leading to troublesome mixed precipitation in the Midwest.Nadine El-Bawab, ABC News, 14 Dec. 2024
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Amaya made significant in-season adjustments, though, hitting .271 with a .761 OPS after the All-Star break while continuing to build trust with pitchers.Sahadev Sharma, The Athletic, 14 Dec. 2024
Verb
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This cute sweatshirt pokes fun at the sport’s quirky name with a watercolor print of two pickles playing pickleball.Cai Cramer, People.com, 13 Dec. 2024
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Cleavage forming, hormones erupting, hair poking through in what feels like strange places and wanting to dance on the peripherals of sexiness.Elizabeth Ayoola, Essence, 13 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near punch
Cite this Entry
“Punch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/punch. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.
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