pack a punch

Be capable of a forceful blow; also, deliver a forceful blow. For example, Knowing Bob could pack a wicked punch, they were careful not to anger him , or She swung her handbag, really packing a wallop . [ Colloquial ; c. 1920]
Have a powerful effect, as in That vodka martini packed a wallop . Thomas Wolfe had this figurative usage in a letter (c. 1938): “I think my play, The House , will pack a punch.”

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Idioms and Phrases

Also, pack a wallop .

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Example Sentences

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Despite the downsize from last year’s historic 21 Latino performers, the diverse lineup, from música Mexicana stars to experimental pop singers, will pack a punch at the Empire Polo Club in Indio for the next two consecutive weekends.

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“Superman,” Disney’s “Avatar: Fire and Ash” and the animated “Zootopia 2,” cinema owners hope the rest of the year will pack a punch.

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“We know from experience that these storms can pack a punch,” he said.

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New songs, like the title track and “Flipside,” pack a punch, while the band’s classics “Water & Wine” and “Come Back to Me” retain their urgency.

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"Mast cells pack a punch, when activated by IgE antibodies they can be said to explode and release inflammatory factors into the skin -- this is what causes itching and hives."

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

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