punch up
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punch up
- /ˌpʌntʃ ˈʌp/
- /ˈpʌntʃ ˌʌp/
verb punches up · punching up · punched up
- To beat (someone) up by punching, to fist-fight. He came back all punched up. He got a few stitches — they really punched him up good.
-
To attack, counterattack, or target a group of greater power or status than oneself.
Her standup act involves a lot of punching up. It's possible to punch down in standup, a little bit here and there, but it's tricky to get right.
Similar: punch upward, punch upwards · Opposite: punch down
- To make bolder, zestier, or more exciting. Near-synonyms: kick up, spice up
- To switch (a source) into the main transmission. Sound films have to be loaded so that the sound is 5 seconds before the sound drum so a wow does not result when the film is punched up on the air.
noun punch ups
- Misspelling of punch-up
Talk about this word "punch up." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/punch%20up. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. punch up. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/punch%20up "punch up." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/punch%20up.Cite this
@misc{punch_up_2026,
title = {punch up},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/punch%20up},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
