punchy

adjective

ˈpən-chē 

punchier; punchiest

1

a

: having punch : forceful, spirited

The collection is strong on punchy, memorable music and weak on lyrics.

—People Weekly

He leans abruptly forward and speaks with the punchy emphasis of an inveterate politician.

—Bill Bryson

b

: vivid, vibrant

These punchy colors glide on and blend easily into mere hints of color.

—Elle

c

: zesty

It is an elegant dish, although the sauce seems overly polite now. I remember it when the fresh coriander was an intense and punchy flavor.

—Caroline Bates

2

: dazed, punch-drunk

… I arrived in Paris after a thirteen-hour flight, unwashed, unshaved, punchy from jet lag, discombobulated …

—David Berlinski

Synonyms

• addle
• addled
• addlepated
• bedeviled
• befogged
• befuddled
• bemused
• bewildered
• bushed [chiefly Australian]
• confounded
• confused
• dazed
• distracted
• dizzy
• dopey
• dopy
• fogged
• mixed-up
• muddleheaded
• muzzy
• pixilated
• pixillated
• punch-drunk
• raddled
• shell-shocked
• silly
• slaphappy
• spaced-out
• spaced
• spacey
• spacy
• stunned
• stupefied
• zonked
• zonked-out

Examples of punchy in a Sentence

shrimp in a punchy sauce

She was punchy with fatigue.

Recent Examples on the Web

The Instax Wide Monochrome film is similarly punchy, and neither gets close to the exposure latitude provided by negative film or a digital sensor. —PCMAG, 23 Oct. 2024

While Denim includes trompe l’oeil in flocked mesh and burnout velvet treatments in punchy hues. —Robyn Mowatt, Essence, 8 Oct. 2024

Make sure to complete the look with a punchy red blush and subtle faux-freckles. —Marci Robin, Allure, 3 Oct. 2024

Often so rich and creamy, a refreshing and crunchy salad or bright and punchy vegetable side dish is just what the menu calls for. —Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 14 Sep. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1907, in the meaning defined at sense 1a