punching

verb

present participle of punch
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

Relevance
2
as in drilling
to make a hole or series of holes in punch a ticket

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in driving
to urge, push, or force onward cowboys punching cattle

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of punching Cape Verde is not punching above its weight on heart. — Sylvana Quader Sinha, Forbes.com, 23 June 2026 Once at the house, Paula tries to be a badass by punching through a basement window with Hazel’s shirt wrapped around her fist. — Erin Qualey, Vulture, 1 July 2026 An impromptu blind date with a handsome rapist ends with Esther punching him square in the nose, his blood gushing through her fingers. — Literary Hub, 1 July 2026 Halty embraces the way Senda Athletics is punching above its weight as a sportswear brand in a tournament full of global brands and stars. — Michael Butler, Miami Herald, 2 July 2026 Key Points Taylor Sheridan landed a role after punching another man during the audition. — Emlyn Travis, Entertainment Weekly, 1 July 2026 In Serov, Russia, police were called after a male driver was seen shouting obscenities at several women before punching one of them, according to a video. — Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 30 June 2026 Spirits ran high for most of the night at Kansas City (Arrowhead) Stadium as Austria and Algeria faced off, both on the verge of punching their tickets to the next round of the global tournament. — Dominick Williams, Kansas City Star, 30 June 2026 Any Bay State citizen from Boston to Great Barrington would have been handcuffed and hauled into court yesterday for sucker-punching a fellow bar patron the way a State Police officer did over the weekend. — Boston Herald Editorial Staff, Boston Herald, 30 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for punching
  1. slapping
  2. drilling
  3. driving
  4. hitting
  5. piercing
  6. running
  7. smacking
  8. poking
Verb
  • There was briefly some concern earlier this year that Chestnut wouldn’t be able to participate in the 2026 competition after he was arrested for allegedly slapping a man in an Indiana bar.
    — Kyla Guilfoil, NBC news, 5 July 2026
  • Chestnut competed in the event while serving a 180-day probation sentence after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor battery charge stemming from drunkenly slapping a man in an Indiana bar earlier this year.
    — Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 4 July 2026
Definition of slapping
Verb
  • Although the video does include a rig that involves drilling a mast beam (or thwart) into the canoe’s upper hull edge ( or gunwales), there is also a route that instead uses clamps.
    — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 2 July 2026
  • Paramount also must win the approval of British and European regulators, who are known for drilling deeply into media matters because of their influence on society.
    — Meg James, Los Angeles Times, 30 June 2026
Definition of drilling
Verb
  • Rodríguez Castro can be seen wearing a New York Yankees shirt, moving suggestively to driving percussive beats, punctuated by catchy, syncopated vocals.
    — Romina Ruiz-Goiriena, USA Today, 6 July 2026
  • Rainy weather driving tips Switch on headlights - Even during daylight hours, using headlights can enhance visibility and signal your presence to other drivers.
    — STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 July 2026
Definition of driving
Verb
  • Besides hitting their price target — about $350 per square foot — Talbot and his wife, Marisol, were taken with the modern design with a 14-foot clerestory ceiling.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2026
  • To the moon All the political developments of the last 24 hours have not stopped stocks, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average hitting 53,000 for the first time ever.
    — Leonie Kidd, CNBC, 7 July 2026
Definition of hitting
Verb
  • Granite cliffs piercing the sea and the sky are Acadia National Park’s most recognizable feature.
    — Josh Laskin, Travel + Leisure, 3 July 2026
  • Her flat, piercing groundstrokes and booming serve are perfect for grass, and defending champion Świątek will need to calm down her serving roller coaster to stay in touch.
    — Ava Wallace, New York Times, 1 July 2026
Definition of piercing
Verb
  • The invite-only event was being hosted by Satisfy, the French running brand with a punk rock aesthetic.
    — Grace Cook, Vogue, 7 July 2026
  • Hamilton’s hot fundraising start came after building anticipation for a campaign launch with a statewide listening tour where the founding pastor of the nation’s largest United Methodist church openly entertained running as an independent.
    — Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 6 July 2026
Definition of running
Verb
  • Deputies responded to a report of a driver smacking his car into a guardrail in front of The Bridge Restaurant before driving away, according to a sheriff’s office news release.
    — Joe Marusak, Charlotte Observer, 6 June 2026
  • As the match got away from her in the second set and the Court Philippe-Chatrier crowd became increasingly hostile, Andreeva fully unraveled, smacking another ball towards the roof and asking members of her box to leave.
    — Charlie Eccleshare, New York Times, 2 June 2026
Definition of smacking
Verb
  • Calderón, a big, bald man wearing a gold chain and cross-shaped earrings, sat off to the side, amid an entourage of muscular assistants in polo shirts, poking at his phone.
    — Will Freeman, New Yorker, 30 June 2026
  • If their edges are poking out from your ice sphere, your ice will melt and break apart faster.
    — Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 27 June 2026
Definition of poking

Browse Nearby Words

punches out
punching
punching bag
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Punching.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/punching. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on punching

Nglish: Translation of punching for Spanish Speakers

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