1
as in slapping
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in drilling
to make a hole or series of holes in
punch a ticket
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of punching
The man responded by punching the child's father in the nose, court documents said.
—
Nick Lentz, CBS News, 30 Mar. 2026
Michigan made a statement on Sunday, punching its ticket to the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament.
—Rowan Fisher-Shotton, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Mar. 2026
On Christmas Eve in 2004, Robbins was arrested after punching a security guard at the Sir Francis Drake Hotel in San Francisco after earlier being escorted out of the bar.
—Jerry McDonald, Mercury News, 27 Mar. 2026
And soon enough, teams will be punching their tickets to the Final Four.
—Jacob Lev, CNN Money, 27 Mar. 2026
LaBeouf’s recent legal trouble in New Orleans, where the actor was arrested following accusations of punching several people during Mari Gras celebrations and charged with an additional count of battery weeks later, were also cited in the lawsuit.
—Isabel Yip, NBC news, 26 Mar. 2026
Now, Reese is suing the man accused of punching him, and also Aldi and the security guard company the grocery store hired.
—Amanda Rosa, Miami Herald, 26 Mar. 2026
Furthermore, the lawsuit contends that while LaBeouf’s attorneys were still aggressively pursuing their position and seeking monetary compensation from Barnett, a partying LaBeouf was arrested in New Orleans on assault charges for allegedly punching two bar patrons.
—Cheyenne Roundtree, Rolling Stone, 25 Mar. 2026
Everyone should be protecting their skulls 200 percent more in this situation and ideally also not punching each other.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 24 Mar. 2026
Nick Lentz, CBS News, 30 Mar. 2026
Michigan made a statement on Sunday, punching its ticket to the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament.
—Rowan Fisher-Shotton, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Mar. 2026
On Christmas Eve in 2004, Robbins was arrested after punching a security guard at the Sir Francis Drake Hotel in San Francisco after earlier being escorted out of the bar.
—Jerry McDonald, Mercury News, 27 Mar. 2026
And soon enough, teams will be punching their tickets to the Final Four.
—Jacob Lev, CNN Money, 27 Mar. 2026
LaBeouf’s recent legal trouble in New Orleans, where the actor was arrested following accusations of punching several people during Mari Gras celebrations and charged with an additional count of battery weeks later, were also cited in the lawsuit.
—Isabel Yip, NBC news, 26 Mar. 2026
Now, Reese is suing the man accused of punching him, and also Aldi and the security guard company the grocery store hired.
—Amanda Rosa, Miami Herald, 26 Mar. 2026
Furthermore, the lawsuit contends that while LaBeouf’s attorneys were still aggressively pursuing their position and seeking monetary compensation from Barnett, a partying LaBeouf was arrested in New Orleans on assault charges for allegedly punching two bar patrons.
—Cheyenne Roundtree, Rolling Stone, 25 Mar. 2026
Everyone should be protecting their skulls 200 percent more in this situation and ideally also not punching each other.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 24 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for punching
Verb
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Airlines across the region, like Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific are slapping hefty fuel surcharges on flights; Vietnam and the Philippines are even weighing whether to ground planes.—
Nicholas Gordon,
Fortune,
29 Mar. 2026
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But every so often there comes a day that is so different—so unusual—so spectacular that its happening can only be chalked up to old-fashioned, knee-slapping good luck.—
Letters to the Editor,
Hartford Courant,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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As a result, there is a need to build geothermal plants in non-seismic, nonvolcanic areas of the world for drilling and reaching deeper geothermal resources.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
2 Apr. 2026
-
The price surge also has had political ramifications for oil production in California, with Trump invoking a Cold War-era law to force the controversial resumption of offshore drilling in the Golden State, citing the need to bolster domestic oil production for national security purposes.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Cody Bellinger contributed to the Yankees erasing a four-run deficit through four innings by driving in three runs.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
5 Apr. 2026
-
While driving - Stick to the middle lanes and stay on elevated ground.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Gerhardt Konig hoped Thursday to persuade a Hawaiian jury that hitting his wife repeatedly with a rock was self-defense.—
April 2,
CBS News,
3 Apr. 2026
-
The film also was shown at a number of other festivals before hitting the awards circuit as the Palestinian entry for this year’s Academy Awards.—
Zach Dennis,
Charlotte Observer,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
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With one quick push of a button, BLINGSTING Safety Alarms ear-piercing 125-decibel personal alarm sounds, intended to startle an aggressor and immediately alert bystanders that there’s a problem.—
Tory Johnson,
ABC News,
28 Mar. 2026
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Armed with my beloved buns (one already torn into) the rest of the flight slipped by, until New York’s piercing skyline came firmly into view.—
Arati Menon,
Condé Nast Traveler,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The field includes current legislators Manny Abarca IV, Venessa Huskey, Jalen Anderson and Donna Peyton, all running for re-election.—
Ilana Arougheti,
Kansas City Star,
5 Apr. 2026
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The Dodgers’ star shortstop left Saturday’s game after running the bases in the first inning and feeling pain in the right side of his lower back.—
Bill Plunkett,
Oc Register,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
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In Los Angeles, Jonathon Redondo-Rosales was charged with assault for smacking an agent with a hat after a car struck him.—
Oriana van Praag,
New Yorker,
28 Mar. 2026
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But a leadoff walk in the top of the 9th allowed Eugenio Suárez to knock in what would prove to be the winning run, smacking a double to left center field and scoring pinch runner Javier Sonoja.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
18 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Upon the umpteenth retelling, Jules (Jeff Wilbusch)—who witnessed the gory death of Rachel’s mother (Victoria Pedretti) as a little boy and therefore wholeheartedly believes in the curse—begins poking holes in the story.—
Sam Reed,
Glamour,
2 Apr. 2026
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While the 1930s and 1940s did see some instances of carnival poking fun at the tyranny of the Nazi regime (none of which, it should be noted, went unpunished), Birdsall and other scholars maintain that the festival was, first and foremost, an avenue for propaganda.—
Tim Brinkhof,
JSTOR Daily,
1 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Punching.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/punching. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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