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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Example Sentences

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.
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for paunchy
Adjective
  • Tortellini are plump and tender after simmering in the sauce—no need to cook them before adding to the pan.
    Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 10 Mar. 2025
  • Pre-soaked for easy use, each pad combines retinol and collagen for smoothing and added firmness, making your skin feel refreshed, plump and revitalized in one easy step.
    Maria Correa, Miami Herald, 3 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Kennedy has inspired Steak n' Shake to switch back to tallow — which is rendered beef fat — for cooking its fries.
    Sarah Boden, NPR, 14 Mar. 2025
  • Each branch of the military sets its own fitness and grooming standards, with new male Air Force recruits now allowed to have 26 percent body fat, up from 20 percent, and women 36 percent, up from 28 percent.
    Ellen Mitchell, The Hill, 14 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Perun summoned a potbellied officer from the T.D.F. brigade to the operations center.
    Luke Mogelson, The New Yorker, 8 Apr. 2024
  • 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

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Cite this Entry

“Paunchy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/paunchy. Accessed 24 Mar. 2025.

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