as in hulk
a big clumsy often slow-witted person
I wish he wouldn't bring over here that bunch of palookas he calls his friends
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Recent Examples of palooka
One year after the Academy bafflingly ignored his work in Sideways, Giamatti finally scored his first Oscar nomination for his purely entertaining performance as boxing manager Joe Gould in Ron Howard’s proudly old-fashioned Depression-era palooka drama.
—
A.a. Dowd, Vulture, 10 Mar. 2024
Sylvester Stallone's underdog tale about a struggling palooka given one shot at the heavyweight championship is a stirring sports movie with a level of charm and sweetness that dissipated in the rounds (and rounds) of sequels that followed.
—Brian Lowry, CNN, 25 July 2019
All this real guts and glory in Philadelphia, yet one of the big tourist attractions is to run up the Art Museum steps the way a palooka named Rocky Balboa did on the silver screen.
—Bill Livingston, cleveland.com, 1 Jan. 2018
The jokes (by screenwriters Van Robichaux and Evan Susser) have all the wit of a punch-drunk palooka.
—Michael O'Sullivan, The Denver Post, 17 Feb. 2017
Without it, director Phillipe Falardeau's film would be a fairly unremarkable, fairly familiar ride, telling the tale of a big-hearted but undisciplined palooka whose biggest hurdle in life is his own bad judgment.
—Mike Scott, NOLA.com, 17 May 2017
A.a. Dowd, Vulture, 10 Mar. 2024
Sylvester Stallone's underdog tale about a struggling palooka given one shot at the heavyweight championship is a stirring sports movie with a level of charm and sweetness that dissipated in the rounds (and rounds) of sequels that followed.
—Brian Lowry, CNN, 25 July 2019
All this real guts and glory in Philadelphia, yet one of the big tourist attractions is to run up the Art Museum steps the way a palooka named Rocky Balboa did on the silver screen.
—Bill Livingston, cleveland.com, 1 Jan. 2018
The jokes (by screenwriters Van Robichaux and Evan Susser) have all the wit of a punch-drunk palooka.
—Michael O'Sullivan, The Denver Post, 17 Feb. 2017
Without it, director Phillipe Falardeau's film would be a fairly unremarkable, fairly familiar ride, telling the tale of a big-hearted but undisciplined palooka whose biggest hurdle in life is his own bad judgment.
—Mike Scott, NOLA.com, 17 May 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for palooka
Noun
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Having boy hulk Matthew Knies at the net front, to retrieve pucks and be a pain for the defence, is one positive step that’s been working.—
James Mirtle,
The Athletic,
23 Jan. 2025
-
Kadyrov’s fighters were instrumental in the final assault on Donetsk Airport in January, having fought for months to capture the wrecked hulk of buildings that once made up the passenger terminals.—
Nicholas Waller,
Foreign Affairs,
1 Apr. 2015
Noun
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Our doctrine holds that money losers don’t belong in your portfolio.—
Jim Cramer,
CNBC,
4 Feb. 2025
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Where are the winners and losers of the coming great climate migration?—
Andrea Riquier,
USA TODAY,
3 Feb. 2025
Noun
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But what are those strange circular lumps in Delores’ jogging bottoms?—
Damon Wise,
Deadline,
25 Jan. 2025
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Young sets the pair strange tasks, like hurling uncooked dough at a wall (possibly a reference to letting the people eat cake) or kissing each other through that same lump of dough, or screaming in an audience member’s face.—
Helen Shaw,
The New Yorker,
21 Jan. 2025
Noun
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In Vermont, a fast-acting witness spotted a struggling 7-year-old mutt in trouble and waded into an icy river up to his waist to reunite the dog with its grateful owner.—
Alexis Simendinger,
The Hill,
20 Jan. 2025
-
Two lively mutts guard the noodle factory on the other side of the fence.—
Anne F. Thurston,
Foreign Affairs,
23 Feb. 2016
Noun
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The actor was also fired from his role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as the villain Kang the Conqueror, who was originally intended to feature in the next two Avengers films.—
Tommy McArdle,
People.com,
5 Feb. 2025
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His music has served as a vehicle for haunting, bombastic fantasies, often with himself as the villain.—
Carrie Battan,
The New Yorker,
5 Feb. 2025
Noun
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The rising pop star danced amid a bevy of rodeo clowns clad in denim, and sang atop a giant pink pony.—
Eric Torres,
Pitchfork,
3 Feb. 2025
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Roan channelled a rodeo queen and was supported by a slew of dancing clowns for the high-energy number.—
Lindsay Kimble,
People.com,
3 Feb. 2025
Noun
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For instance, if a skunk or raccoon has invaded a home, Whitmore thoroughly inspects it to understand where and how the animal enters.—
Kody Boye,
USA TODAY,
12 Dec. 2024
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Any time an agricultural producer or horse owner or home gardener has a persistent issue with dangerous or destructive animals — skunks denning under a shed, raccoons raiding a chicken coop, bears gorging in a vineyard — Chandler can assist, either with advice or, if necessary, direct intervention.—
Malcolm Brooks Malcolm Hillgartner Krish Seenivasan Zak Mouton,
New York Times,
31 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near palooka
Cite this Entry
“Palooka.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/palooka. Accessed 9 Feb. 2025.
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