punch-out

1 of 2

noun

punch out

2 of 2

verb

punched out; punching out; punches out

intransitive verb

1
: to record the time of one's stopping work or departure by punching a time clock
2
: to bail out of an aircraft using an ejection seat

transitive verb

1
: to beat up
2

Examples of punch-out in a Sentence

Verb you should take a course in anger management—you can't go around punching out people
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Noun
But back in the 2010s, Kershaw was a dominant strikeout pitcher who recorded at least 200 punch-outs in a season seven times during the ten-year span from 2010 to 2019. Zach Pressnell, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 June 2025 The lefty was able to work his way out of trouble each time, first striking out Ozuna to end the third before getting a pair of punch-outs to end the fourth after initially putting two on with nobody out. Mac Cerullo, Hartford Courant, 1 June 2025
Verb
Buddusky talks tough, drinks hard, punches out windows — the energy of a cornered animal. Arkansas Online, 24 July 2025 Let the bromance begin, as Derringer and Clarke squabble their way back to the Western world, punching out hoodlums and escaping to Poland in the back of a livestock truck. Peter Debruge, Variety, 2 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for punch-out

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1973, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1893, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of punch-out was in 1893

Browse Nearby Words

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Punch-out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/punch-out. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!