punch-out
noun
a small section of cardboard or metal surrounded by perforations so that it can be easily forced out.
punch-out
American
[puhnch-out]
/ ˈpʌntʃˌaʊt /
Or
punchout
noun
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punch-outs
plural
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a small section of cardboard or metal surrounded by perforations so that it can be easily forced out.
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Slang. a fistfight or brawl.
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Baseball. the air-punching gesture an umpire makes to denote a third strike, effectively ending the batter’s at-bat.
Stein didn’t develop his signature punch-out until his third season umpiring in the minors.
punch out
Idioms
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Record one's time of departure from work, as in We never punch out at exactly five o'clock . This usage, dating from the 1920s, alludes to the use of a time clock. Also see punch in , def. 1.
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Eject from a military aircraft, as in The pilot punched out just before the plane blew up . [ Slang ; 1960s]
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of punch-out
First recorded in 1925–30; noun use of verb phrase punch out
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.
See Examples For:
And the box, also unchanged since the beginning, features a punch-out spout that can cause a bit of a mess.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 23, 2024
“Adbert comes in to get the ground ball and then the big punch-out of Tatis and then Leiter goes through the heart of their order.”
From Washington Times ● Jun. 3, 2023
But the punch-out method made it difficult to craft an aesthetically pleasing, natural-looking hairline upon transplantation.
From Slate ● Jul. 12, 2022
In the fifth inning, with a punch-out of first baseman Eric Hosmer, Scherzer joined baseball’s 3,000-strikeout club.
From New York Times ● Sep. 12, 2021
“That was kind of another wet game. I just remember Hanser had two punch-out force fumbles. I recovered one of them on their sideline.”
From Seattle Times ● Nov. 23, 2018
Quick thinking led him to open the door and punch out Wiggle Inn’s window screens so water would flow through.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 18, 2026
If he's losing every round and then pulls a punch out of his back pocket, does that throw him right back into the mix?
From BBC ● Apr. 1, 2026
It can punch out the front and rear underbodies which support the car's outer skin and provide a platform for suspension components.
From Reuters ● Apr. 27, 2023
The problem with conversations about when it’s time to punch out, in politics or any other line of work, is that we do not all age on the same schedule.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 25, 2023
To our right, an emaciated mummy of a man guzzled ruby-red punch out of what eerily resembled a human brainpan.
From "The City Beautiful" by Aden Polydoros
Never before in postseason history had a pitcher gone eight or more shutout innings with at least 12 punch-outs and zero walks.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 3, 2025
“Then the secondary stuff is really nice,” Ross said “You go that deep in the game, you’re bound to, with his stuff, get some extra punch-outs there.”
From Washington Times ● Sep. 5, 2023
Jordan Romano recorded a 1-2-3 ninth inning with two punch-outs for his 18th save in 21 opportunities.
From Seattle Times ● Jul. 6, 2022
“No matter what, whether he went 0 for 4 with four punch-outs or 4 for 4 with three homers, he’s the same guy every day,” Kendrick said.
From Washington Post ● Aug. 15, 2017
But the movie as a whole is fairly generic action fare: a few punch-outs, a few shootouts, nothing special.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 27, 2014
Definitions 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.
