sucker punch

verb

sucker punched; sucker punching; sucker punches
Synonyms of sucker punchnext

transitive verb

: to punch (a person) suddenly without warning and often without apparent provocation
sucker punch noun

Examples of sucker punch in a Sentence

One of them sucker punched me.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Like a boxer playing rope-a-dope, the away side absorbed much of what Arsenal had to throw at them in the first half and were unlucky not to have provided their own sucker punch after Dwight McNeil had two excellent chances in quick succession. Mark Carey, New York Times, 16 Mar. 2026 At the time, Connor Lockwood’s elbow injury felt like a sucker punch. Noah Poser, Chicago Tribune, 13 Mar. 2026 The State of the Union speeches of his recent predecessors have also been filled, as this one was, with sucker punches thrown at the opposition party. Eliot A. Cohen, The Atlantic, 26 Feb. 2026 The umpire tried to break up the scuffle, only to be sucker punched from behind by Aballi, police alleged. Ben Brachfeld, PEOPLE, 21 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for sucker punch

Word History

First Known Use

1964, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of sucker punch was in 1964

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Sucker punch.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sucker%20punch. Accessed 21 Mar. 2026.

Kids Definition

sucker punch

verb
: to punch (a person) suddenly and usually without any obvious reason
sucker punch noun

More from Merriam-Webster on sucker punch

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster