as in plump
having a large protruding abdomen
not surprisingly, the new Hollywood biopic casts a young, athletically trim actor in the role of the paunchy, balding artist
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Recent Examples of paunchy
Unlike castrati of the 17th and 18th centuries — always beardless, and typically tall and paunchy — Mariño is short and lithe, and was already sporting a five o’clock shadow on a recent afternoon walk with Leia, his Cavalier King Charles spaniel.
—
New York Times, 27 May 2022
The father, Alexei Shostakov (played by David Harbour), is now a bearded and paunchy Soviet-era superhero known as Red Guardian, the counterpart of Captain America.
—Fred Weir, The Christian Science Monitor, 15 July 2021
One recent late afternoon, a group of paunchy middle-aged men seated in plastic chairs on the sidewalk debated measures to fight the virus.
—Renata Brito, Anchorage Daily News, 26 May 2020
The puzzled batter swings at the next pitch, grounds it to short, and is astonished to see the paunchy second-base umpire shifting to his right to field the ball, while the shortstop tries to coach his footwork.
—Andrew C. McCarthy, National Review, 4 Apr. 2020
See All Example Sentences for paunchy
New York Times, 27 May 2022
The father, Alexei Shostakov (played by David Harbour), is now a bearded and paunchy Soviet-era superhero known as Red Guardian, the counterpart of Captain America.
—Fred Weir, The Christian Science Monitor, 15 July 2021
One recent late afternoon, a group of paunchy middle-aged men seated in plastic chairs on the sidewalk debated measures to fight the virus.
—Renata Brito, Anchorage Daily News, 26 May 2020
The puzzled batter swings at the next pitch, grounds it to short, and is astonished to see the paunchy second-base umpire shifting to his right to field the ball, while the shortstop tries to coach his footwork.
—Andrew C. McCarthy, National Review, 4 Apr. 2020
See All Example Sentences for paunchy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for paunchy
Adjective
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Argireline can be found in Estée Lauder’s serum alongside AHAs to promote a plump, youthful complexion.—
Kiana Murden,
Vogue,
12 Feb. 2025
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Get The Recipe 09 of 25 Lemony Shrimp Pasta Flex your cooking expertise with this stunning pasta, featuring plump pink shrimp, sweet fennel, and fresh basil.—
Alana Al-Hatlani,
Southern Living,
3 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Opposite is the fat and welcoming British Library, composed of 10 million bricks, a number that merely nips at the toes of the 60-million-brick St. Pancras Hotel next door.—
Francesca Carington,
New York Times,
18 Feb. 2025
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Having low insulin sensitivity, or insulin resistance as it is sometimes called, leads to muscle, fat and liver cells failing to respond to insulin—the hormone responsible for regulating blood sugar.—
Matt Robison,
Newsweek,
18 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Perun summoned a potbellied officer from the T.D.F. brigade to the operations center.—
Luke Mogelson,
The New Yorker,
8 Apr. 2024
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What could be more luxurious than checking in without having to wade through a maze of slot machines and a cloud of cigarette smoke, dodging potbellied dudes in tank tops?—
Jay McInerney,
Town & Country,
18 June 2023
Cite this Entry
“Paunchy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/paunchy. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.
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