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Synonyms

punch-up

American  
[puhnch-uhp] / ˈpʌntʃˌʌp /

noun

Slang.
  1. punch-out.


punch-up British  

noun

  1. informal a fight, brawl, or violent argument

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of punch-up

1955–60; noun use of verb phrase punch ( it ) up

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:

Everton boss David Moyes' comments afterwards on his players' so-called punch-up were brilliant, saying "it shows they care".

From BBC Nov. 28, 2025

McCann is an entirely different story and the explanation for his punch-up wasn’t quite as compelling.

From Seattle Times Apr. 5, 2022

After the Game One punch-up, I sat out the rest of the series.

From The New Yorker Nov. 4, 2019

But he has also come under fire for an apparent delay in informing JSA officials about last month’s punch-up.

From Reuters Nov. 21, 2017

The comedian also incorporates her family into her career: Her sister, Kim Caramele, was a writer on “Inside Amy Schumer” and helped Schumer punch-up Dippold’s “Snatched” screenplay.

From Los Angeles Times May 11, 2017

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