punchy

adjective

ˈpən-chē How to pronounce punchy (audio)
Definition of punchynext
as in dazed
suffering from mental confusion feeling a little punchy after being up half the night with a crying baby

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 punchy Mojo is built on a combination of garlic and citrus, creating a bright, punchy sauce and marinade that infuses and flavors grilled meats, seafood and vegetables. — Lynda Balslev, Mercury News, 23 June 2026 Coral shed its preppy connotations at Issey Miyake, where head designer Satoshi Kondo paired the punchy shade with even brighter lime green. — Ariel Wodarcyk, InStyle, 22 June 2026 Nine years since their last album, the Providence punks return with another record dripping with righteous fury—and a punchier, newly polished sound to get the message across as clearly as possible. — Matthew Ismael Ruiz, Pitchfork, 26 June 2026 But several edits would survive, including one that couched emissions in the context of economic growth and another in which Mottershead suggested moving a punchy line from lower in the article up to the very top. — Maddie Stone, ProPublica, 25 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for punchy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for punchy
  1. dazed
  2. confused
  3. bewildered
  4. distracted
  5. dizzy
  6. stunned
Adjective
  • Like Mahrez, Austria’s Marcel Sabitzer seemed slightly dazed following the topsy-turvy turn of events.
    — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 28 June 2026
  • Humans of all ages, in fact, stare dazed into glowing screens.
    — Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 19 June 2026
Definition of dazed
Adjective
  • In Timon, by contrast, everything is a rush, everything is broke-off and confused, everything is hurtling through suffering towards oblivion.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 July 2026
  • But when non-negotiable tasks are framed as questions, children can become confused about whether the task is actually optional.
    — Siggie Cohen, CNBC, 4 July 2026
Definition of confused
Adjective
  • Fido was fine, if a little bewildered, and in February 1973, the board lifted its book bans.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 25 June 2026
  • At the risk of sounding less like a columnist and more like a bewildered bystander … what the heck happened?
    — Denise Crosby, Chicago Tribune, 14 June 2026
Definition of bewildered
Adjective
  • Some big rubber balls had been tossed in to keep them distracted.
    — Burkhard Bilger, New Yorker, 29 June 2026
  • The problem, Larson said, is that Congress was highly distracted at the time with passing the Affordable Care Act, known as Obamacare.
    — Christopher Keating, Hartford Courant, 28 June 2026
Definition of distracted
Adjective
  • People with heat exhaustion typically feel dizzy, start sweating profusely, have a fast pulse and can feel sick.
    — Claire Cameron, Scientific American, 2 July 2026
  • The 77-year-old American Idol judge complained about feeling dizzy during the opening night of the Sing a Song All Night Long Tour featuring Earth, Wind & Fire.
    — Jake Kanter, Deadline, 25 June 2026
Definition of dizzy
Adjective
  • And when Cape Verde’s Deroy Duarte evened the score with a right footed shot from a difficult angle at the 59-minute mark, the stunned stadium went silent, minus two small spirited clots of Cape Verde fans in the East end zone seats.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 4 July 2026
  • Fans jumped up and down after Folarin Balogun punched in what seemed to be the game’s first goal near the 31-minute mark, then expressed stunned disbelief when the striker was deemed offsides.
    — Graham Womack, Sacbee.com, 2 July 2026
Definition of stunned

Browse Nearby Words

punch-ups
punchy
punctilious
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Punchy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/punchy. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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