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 florals which lean into reimagining garments inspired by the natural world appeared in assorted hues including orange, lilac, a bright teal, a bold magenta, and even a punchy orange color. —Robyn Mowatt, Essence, 7 May 2024

The stall will import Spanish beer like Estrella, have some punchy sangria and potentially a few Spanish wines and non-alcoholic beverages like Kas — a citrusy, slightly bitter aperitivo-style drink popular in Spain. —Kayleigh Ruller, Charlotte Observer, 7 May 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1907, in the meaning defined at sense 1a