punched up; punching up; punches up
: to give energy or forcefulness to
jokes added to punch up a speech
Examples of punch-up in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Fran Hoepfner, The Atlantic, 6 Mar. 2024
In the hands of the endlessly inventive comedian, the tale of a boy who pulls himself up by his bootstraps and seeks out fame and fortune becomes a madcap delight complete with a zingy script, cartoonish punch-ups, collapsing sets, and a heady dose of magical realism.
—Radhika Seth, Vogue, 22 Feb. 2024
Songs like her new single, the LP’s title track, which came together in a late-night punch-up session with Alexander 23, showcase the album’s unflinching emotional honesty.
—Brittany Spanos, Rolling Stone, 22 June 2023
When Reaves hit Gustav Lindström later in the game, Ben Chiarot responded by dropping the gloves for a brief punch-up.
—Helene St. James, Detroit Free Press, 18 Apr. 2023
Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 May 2024
Coach Chris Armas didn’t pull any punches up a goal and a man in the second half.
—Braidon Nourse, The Denver Post, 16 May 2024
At $32,000, Rolex’s little sibling is starting to punch up and hard with the new Black Bay 58 with a solid, yellow-gold bracelet.
—Allen Farmelo, Robb Report, 16 May 2024
And the historical elements punch up a convoluted mystery that has surprising ties to actual events.
—Randy Myers, The Mercury News, 1 May 2024
Pink Flats Inspired by Brooke Shields Rothy’s The Point II in Dragon Fruit
Shields’ exact fuschia flats will instantly punch up any springtime outfit.
—Taylor Jean Stephan, Peoplemag, 6 Apr. 2024
At Good Hot Fish in Asheville, N.C., shredded green cabbage stars in a pancake punched up with sorghum hot sauce.
—Kim Severson, New York Times, 10 Mar. 2024
A bit of fish sauce can be added to the shrimp pasta to punch up the briny flavor of the seafood.
—Sunset Magazine, 22 Mar. 2024
Diversity in video games isn’t going anywhere, and the practice of hiring consultants to punch up narratives certainly isn’t going to change.
—Ash Parrish, The Verge, 18 Mar. 2024
Noun
The book is a loving punch-up, dark and biting, about how the film industry makes and breaks its own, but there’s nothing better than a comeback story.
—Fran Hoepfner, The Atlantic, 6 Mar. 2024
In the hands of the endlessly inventive comedian, the tale of a boy who pulls himself up by his bootstraps and seeks out fame and fortune becomes a madcap delight complete with a zingy script, cartoonish punch-ups, collapsing sets, and a heady dose of magical realism.
—Radhika Seth, Vogue, 22 Feb. 2024
Songs like her new single, the LP’s title track, which came together in a late-night punch-up session with Alexander 23, showcase the album’s unflinching emotional honesty.
—Brittany Spanos, Rolling Stone, 22 June 2023
When Reaves hit Gustav Lindström later in the game, Ben Chiarot responded by dropping the gloves for a brief punch-up.
—Helene St. James, Detroit Free Press, 18 Apr. 2023
Verb
Premiering at Cannes as a special screening, Ernest Cole: Lost and Found is an introspective memoir punched up with the elements of a thriller.
—Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 May 2024
Coach Chris Armas didn’t pull any punches up a goal and a man in the second half.
—Braidon Nourse, The Denver Post, 16 May 2024
At $32,000, Rolex’s little sibling is starting to punch up and hard with the new Black Bay 58 with a solid, yellow-gold bracelet.
—Allen Farmelo, Robb Report, 16 May 2024
And the historical elements punch up a convoluted mystery that has surprising ties to actual events.
—Randy Myers, The Mercury News, 1 May 2024
Pink Flats Inspired by Brooke Shields Rothy’s The Point II in Dragon Fruit
Shields’ exact fuschia flats will instantly punch up any springtime outfit.
—Taylor Jean Stephan, Peoplemag, 6 Apr. 2024
At Good Hot Fish in Asheville, N.C., shredded green cabbage stars in a pancake punched up with sorghum hot sauce.
—Kim Severson, New York Times, 10 Mar. 2024
A bit of fish sauce can be added to the shrimp pasta to punch up the briny flavor of the seafood.
—Sunset Magazine, 22 Mar. 2024
Diversity in video games isn’t going anywhere, and the practice of hiring consultants to punch up narratives certainly isn’t going to change.
—Ash Parrish, The Verge, 18 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'punch-up.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near punch-up
Cite this Entry
“Punch-up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/punch-up. Accessed 28 May. 2024.
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