punch list
Americannoun
-
an itemized list of mostly minor fixes or work to be done before final payment on a construction or repair project.
We’ve given the contractor a punch list of small stuff, including some cleanup.
-
a list of unfinished matters that require attention.
Etymology
Origin of punch list
First recorded in 1950–55; punch 2 ( def. ) (in the sense “tool for perforating or stamping”) + list 1 ( def. )
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.
That’s because Kelly’s best ideas aren’t banked off of events on a rote news-priority punch list.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 26, 2026
The second phase of the extension, spanning nearly 11 miles and connecting Metrorail to Dulles International Airport, has been delayed, but project planners said Metro’s punch list of final details continues to be whittled down.
From Washington Post ● Feb. 10, 2022
There have been talks of sound panels to improve acoustics, and we know that additional hand rails are on the final punch list as interior renovations wrap up.
From Washington Times ● Mar. 23, 2021
Kanye, not prone to quiet, came close, releasing holding-pattern singles and a flat couture line that seemed to be about calming down the room, which is not usually on Kanye's punch list.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 26, 2015
Her final punch list was growing shorter and shorter, which was a very good thing.
From "Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library" by Chris Grabenstein
![]()
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.