punchy

adjective

ˈpən-chē How to pronounce punchy (audio)
punchier; punchiest
Synonyms of punchynext
1
a
: having punch : forceful, spirited
The collection is strong on punchy, memorable music and weak on lyrics.—People Weekly
He leans abruptly forward and speaks with the punchy emphasis of an inveterate politician.—Bill Bryson
b
: vivid, vibrant
These punchy colors glide on and blend easily into mere hints of color.—Elle
c
: zesty
It is an elegant dish, although the sauce seems overly polite now. I remember it when the fresh coriander was an intense and punchy flavor.—Caroline Bates
2
: dazed, punch-drunk
… I arrived in Paris after a thirteen-hour flight, unwashed, unshaved, punchy from jet lag, discombobulated …—David Berlinski

Synonyms of punchy

Relevance
See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of punchy in a Sentence

shrimp in a punchy sauce She was punchy with fatigue.
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.
The gunplay is punchy and satisfying; Jun and their NPC companions are more agile; and the arsenal of both sci-fi weapons and ancient powers (magic in a sci-fi trench coat) gives players a richer selection of tools to neutralize enemies with. — Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 4 Sep. 2026 When a system is tuned to favor short, punchy sentences and immediate answers, those internal rules act like heavy gravity. — New Atlas, 4 Sep. 2026 The integration of Daniel Pemberton’s propulsive score with Boyle’s typically punchy song selections is seamless. — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 2 Sep. 2026 Layers of sweet anise with a punchy bite of Dijon, along with the balanced acidity from the white wine, creates an intoxicating broth, the true star of the dish. — Claire Wadsworth, Bon Appetit Magazine, 1 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for punchy

Word History

First Known Use

1907, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of punchy was in 1907

Rhymes for punchy

See All Rhymes for punchy

Browse Nearby Words

punchwork
punchy
punct
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Punchy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/punchy. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
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!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 4
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
anagrams on a chalk board
Word Builder Quiz Vol. 2 Pick the letter that when added to a word will ma...
See All