pack a punch

Idioms

Also, pack a wallop.
Be capable of a forceful blow; also, deliver a forceful blow. For example, Knowing Bob could pack a wicked punch, they were careful not to anger him , or She swung her handbag, really packing a wallop . [ Colloquial ; c. 1920]
Have a powerful effect, as in That vodka martini packed a wallop . Thomas Wolfe had this figurative usage in a letter (c. 1938): “I think my play, The House , will pack a punch.”

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

"Mast cells pack a punch, when activated by IgE antibodies they can be said to explode and release inflammatory factors into the skin -- this is what causes itching and hives."

From Science Daily • May 21, 2024

Philippe, now a low pressure system, no longer a tropical storm, should be milder but will still pack a punch.

From Seattle Times • Oct. 6, 2023

Stepping up to this kind of trip for the first time, and the extra distance will need to suit for Fury Road to pack a punch.

From BBC • Apr. 13, 2023

Even though video makes up just 2 percent of the collection, Barlow and Gilotty’s performance selections pack a punch.

From Washington Post • Mar. 14, 2023

And he seems to pack a punch up his sleeve.

From Poor Man's Rock by Johnson, Frank Tenney

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023