How to Use punch line in a Sentence

punch line

noun
  • She didn't understand the punch line.
  • Now the state is no longer a punch line.
    — The Week Us, TheWeek, 11 May 2026
  • How much longer will this state be the punch line to an old joke?
    — J.d. Crowe | [email protected], al, 26 Feb. 2021
  • Why hippies are more than a punch line.
    — David Remnick, New Yorker, 17 Mar. 2026
  • Williams has always sourced his punch lines from a place of pain.
    — Emma Madden, Vulture, 8 Jan. 2025
  • The blood spatter would work as the punch lines, not jump scares.
    — Chris O'Falt, IndieWire, 21 Feb. 2025
  • Her surname was revered by fans — but cut to a punch line by satirists.
    — New York Times, 28 June 2022
  • The setup may have been well-worn, but the punch line was sublime.
    — Elizabeth Logan, Glamour, 13 May 2021
  • Then Baffert fell silent and waited for the punch line to land.
    — Tim Layden, SI.com, 3 May 2018
  • In a way that’s too bad, because there is snarky and timely punch line to the whole mess.
    — Gary Thompson, Philly.com, 11 Apr. 2018
  • But no one seems to ever remember the punch line, so wait for it.
    — Mike Edison, Vulture, 25 Aug. 2021
  • The painting in question just seems to be crying out for a punch line.
    — Françoise Mouly, The New Yorker, 25 Oct. 2021
  • In a way that’s too bad, because there is a snarky and timely punch line to the whole mess.
    — Gary Thompson, charlotteobserver, 12 Apr. 2018
  • The punch line remains the same, but its potency has changed.
    — Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 16 Apr. 2022
  • How many Russians are ready to face such a punch line will become clear soon.
    — Vladislav Inozemtsev, Foreign Affairs, 30 Sep. 2011
  • In the shelter, neighbors banter or trade dark punch lines.
    — Bernard Avishai, New Yorker, 13 Mar. 2026
  • The Witch is like one of those really long jokes with a deeply stupid punch line.
    — Vulture, 31 Mar. 2023
  • By the punch line, five minutes later, the crowd of donors was putty in his hands.
    — Los Angeles Times, 22 Nov. 2021
  • In its first decade of life, the website appeared in as many punch lines as headlines.
    — Richard Cooke, Wired, 17 Feb. 2020
  • Pedro had started to tell a joke, and Phan landed the punch line.
    — Megan Friedman, Country Living, 26 May 2017
  • Kimmel is getting canceled for the setup to a joke, not even the punch line.
    — Bethy Squires, Vulture, 20 Sep. 2025
  • In classic form, Forte overextended the gag far past the punch line.
    — Amanda Wicks, The Atlantic, 23 Jan. 2022
  • Rather than try to tease a punch line from the tragedy of war, the episode opened by making space for something more poignant.
    — Amanda Wicks, The Atlantic, 27 Feb. 2022
  • The punch line to all of this is—this really isn’t a new product for Heinz.
    — Chris Morris, Fortune, 28 Sep. 2023
  • Special teams coach Cam Achord cannot be in charge of that punch line of a unit anymore.
    — Chad Finn, BostonGlobe.com, 11 Jan. 2023
  • The fan base always feels like Atlanta is the punch line and that their teams don’t get enough respect.
    — Bob Brookover, Philly.com, 12 Jan. 2018
  • Chocolate brings it home with a punch line—a wry observation to end the story with a laugh.
    — Joseph Trinidad, Longreads, 16 June 2026
  • If the worst happens, Webb could become a piece of junk in space, and a punch line on Earth.
    — Marina Koren, The Atlantic, 20 Dec. 2021
  • The real punch line is many of these Marlins haven’t been Marlins.
    — Dave Hyde, sun-sentinel.com, 8 Aug. 2020
  • In real life that’s Derek Simpson, and that has been his friends’ go-to punch line all year.
    — Emily Kaplan, SI.com, 24 Feb. 2015

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'punch line.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Last Updated: