punching bag
Americannoun
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punching bags
plural
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an inflated or stuffed bag, usually suspended, punched with the fists as an exercise.
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Informal. a person serving as an object of abuse; scapegoat.
I told him that I wasn't going to be a punching bag for anyone.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of punching bag
First recorded in 1895–1900
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.
Airlines—a punching bag for almost all gripes—are old hands at this.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 23, 2026
"We have grown tired of seeing our country used as a punching bag," he said.
From BBC ● Aug. 18, 2026
Only one of them, Sean “Poopies” McInerney, a surf bro so gullible that I’m not sure he’s capable of informed legal consent, fits into “Best and Last” like a well-worn punching bag.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 26, 2026
Behind him, some of the young athletes faced each other in the ring surrounded by cheering gymmates, while others trained on a punching bag.
From Barron's ● Feb. 10, 2026
The punching bag stings my hands and feet, turning my skin red, and barely moves no matter how hard I hit it.
From "Divergent" by Veronica Roth
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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.
