as in fisticuffs
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Recent Examples of punch-up
Often, when shows do crossovers, the writers on one will do punch-up for their characters on the other.
—
Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 4 Jan. 2025
Toward the end there’s a punch-up, with several players involved.
—David Szalay, The New Yorker, 1 Dec. 2024
Of the new cast additions, only Ayoade is doing anything funny, but Xeni’s pretentious banter could have used a writerly punch-up from somebody like Richard Ayoade.
—Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Airline crew could not run the risk of a full-scale punch-up at 30,000ft.
—Nina Turner, Newsweek, 30 Oct. 2024
Writers didn’t want to do punch-ups on potentially crummy AI scripts or have their words (or ideas) cannibalized by large language models that didn’t pay them a dime.
—Marah Eakin, WIRED, 17 Oct. 2024
Reynolds apparently did punch-up on a balcony scene in the movie (though some counter those lines are also in 2016 Hoover novel).
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 13 Aug. 2024
What was supposed to be a quick punch-up gig for a two-week Encores!
—Ashley Lee, Los Angeles Times, 5 Aug. 2024
Live, the band’s synth-pop got an indie rock punch-up, eliciting a melodic, staccato vocal tic in singer Sammy Elfanbaum akin to a young Ezra Koenig of Vampire Weekend.
—Althea Legaspi, Rolling Stone, 5 Aug. 2024
Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 4 Jan. 2025
Toward the end there’s a punch-up, with several players involved.
—David Szalay, The New Yorker, 1 Dec. 2024
Of the new cast additions, only Ayoade is doing anything funny, but Xeni’s pretentious banter could have used a writerly punch-up from somebody like Richard Ayoade.
—Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Airline crew could not run the risk of a full-scale punch-up at 30,000ft.
—Nina Turner, Newsweek, 30 Oct. 2024
Writers didn’t want to do punch-ups on potentially crummy AI scripts or have their words (or ideas) cannibalized by large language models that didn’t pay them a dime.
—Marah Eakin, WIRED, 17 Oct. 2024
Reynolds apparently did punch-up on a balcony scene in the movie (though some counter those lines are also in 2016 Hoover novel).
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 13 Aug. 2024
What was supposed to be a quick punch-up gig for a two-week Encores!
—Ashley Lee, Los Angeles Times, 5 Aug. 2024
Live, the band’s synth-pop got an indie rock punch-up, eliciting a melodic, staccato vocal tic in singer Sammy Elfanbaum akin to a young Ezra Koenig of Vampire Weekend.
—Althea Legaspi, Rolling Stone, 5 Aug. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for punch-up
Noun
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Check out the first trailer below for shots of Cruise clinging onto a speeding biplane, sneaking through a busy square in London, and having a fistfight on board a sinking submarine.—
Barbara A. Perry,
Newsweek,
27 Jan. 2025
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Meanwhile, there was a fistfight between Lomax and Dylan’s manager, Albert Grossman, on the Newport grounds, briefly shown in the movie.—
Alan Light,
New York Times,
27 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Notre Dame 24, Penn State 20 This game is shaping up to be a defensive slugfest, but Notre Dame's ability to control the line of scrimmage and make game-breaking plays gives them the edge.—
Paul Du Quenoy,
Newsweek,
10 Jan. 2025
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This was a slugfest between a great team and a really good team that was decided in the game’s trenches.—
James L. Edwards III,
The Athletic,
4 Jan. 2025
Noun
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An Israeli soldier was injured in the confrontation, the military said.—
Matthew Mpoke Bigg,
New York Times,
23 Jan. 2025
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The two still-unidentified men reportedly talked about being armed and tried to provoke a confrontation.—
Robert Salonga,
The Mercury News,
22 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Vinicius Jr laughed from the sidelines as assistant Francesco Mauri took him away from the melee.—
Guillermo Rai,
The Athletic,
10 Jan. 2025
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Rozier back: Guard Terry Rozier was back for the Heat after serving a one-game NBA suspension for his role in Sunday night’s melee in the road victory over the Houston Rockets.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
3 Jan. 2025
Noun
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The hard-throwing lefty dominated across 72 appearances (72.0 innings), notching a 1.75 ERA and 1.13 WHIP with 84 punch-outs.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
Newsweek,
30 Nov. 2024
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Asus chose to have a punch-out camera and obscure part of the screen rather than mount it in a larger bezel, which shows how form has come ahead of function.—
Ewan Spence,
Forbes,
26 Nov. 2024
Noun
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Trump's comments inspired some Jan. 6 defendants to ask judges for delays in court action, spurred some to lobby for reprieves, demoralized some police officers injured in the attack and threatened a political brawl over the potential for turning loose people convicted of seditious conspiracy.—
Bart Jansen,
USA TODAY,
17 Jan. 2025
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Guida’s epic brawl with Diego Sanchez on the Ultimate Fighter Season 9 Finale was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame in 2019.—
Brian Mazique,
Forbes,
16 Jan. 2025
Noun
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The game figures to be tight, and for a while now, coach Andy Reid’s Chiefs have been winning such duels.—
Tom Krasovic,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
25 Jan. 2025
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His brawn did not correlate with a ranking in the bottom seven per cent of defenders from Europe’s top five leagues for aerial duels won and in the bottom one per cent for tackles won.—
Jacob Tanswell,
The Athletic,
24 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near punch-up
Cite this Entry
“Punch-up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/punch-up. Accessed 1 Feb. 2025.
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