sucker punching

Definition of sucker punchingnext
present participle of sucker punch
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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for sucker punching
Verb
  • Repeatedly knocking down small nests may discourage the queen from starting another nest in that spot.
    Arricca Elin SanSone, Southern Living, 2 May 2026
  • The big man has been efficient all playoffs by bulldozing to the rim and finishing, by knocking down trailing 3s and hitting the offensive glass.
    James L. Edwards III, New York Times, 26 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • The company is also pushing for legislation to shield it from liability.
    Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 28 Apr. 2026
  • As the city morphs into a luxury tourist destination, struggling small businesses are pushing to retain the character that drew many tourists in the first place.
    Laura Millan, Bloomberg, 27 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Severe thunderstorms barreled through the Kansas City area early Monday, unleashing frequent lightning and booming thunder, dumping torrential rain and triggering a tornado warning.
    Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 27 Apr. 2026
  • Investors bought tech stocks viewed as supporting the AI infrastructure buildout and dumping those seen as threatened by its adoption.
    Morgan Chittum, CNBC, 25 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • London — British Prime Minister Keir Starmer was heckled Thursday during a visit to North London, a day after two Jewish men were wounded in a stabbing attack — the latest in a series of incidents that one of Starmer's cabinet members has called an antisemitism emergency.
    Inaya Folarin Iman, CBS News, 1 May 2026
  • An alleged TikTok antagonist is accused of stabbing a 17-year-old to death outside his New York City apartment building, authorities said.
    Aaron Katersky, ABC News, 1 May 2026
Verb
  • Kansas City Current players spent time with the Lynx players in their quick two-day visit, taking a break from kicking soccer balls to swap jerseys and shoot hoops.
    PJ Green April 28, Kansas City Star, 28 Apr. 2026
  • These days, nobody’s kicking Cantens out of FIU’s gym.
    Walter Villa, Miami Herald, 27 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Politicians from both parties are slashing rates and spinning loopholes.
    Annie Lowrey, The Atlantic, 28 Apr. 2026
  • The new budget proposes slashing OCR funding by 35%.
    Sequoia Carrillo, NPR, 28 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Starmer — who is facing relentless domestic criticism over a flailing economy and his appointment of the disgraced Peter Mandelson as ambassador to Washington, while grappling with a surging far-right opposition — will be praying for a smooth visit.
    Tom Chivers, semafor.com, 27 Apr. 2026
  • The flailing Mets returned home Tuesday to a quieter reception than manager Carlos Mendoza and his players anticipated with the club trying to snap an 11-game losing streak.
    ABC News, ABC News, 21 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Bake for 30 to 35 mins, switching the positions of the trays about halfway through, until the knots are puffed up and golden.
    The Week UK, TheWeek, 2 May 2026
  • Speaking of customs, Desree Ade, junior PR coordinator at Amina Muaddi, told FN that the team will create multiple options for a client, potentially three to five, making variations of the same style by switching up details like color and material.
    Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 1 May 2026
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Cite this Entry

“Sucker punching.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sucker%20punching. Accessed 4 May. 2026.

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