Dictionary

punching bag en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• [ˈpən(t)ʃɪŋ-] (General-American)
• /ˈpʌnt͡ʃɪŋ ˌbæɡ/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• (Southern-England) audio
• /ˈpʌnt͡ʃɪŋ ˌbæɡ/ (General-American)

Meanings

1. (US) A tough bag, usually cylindrical, filled with air, sand, or other material, often suspended so that it swings freely, which is punched or kicked when practising sports such as boxing or martial arts.
2. (US, figuratively) A person serving as an object of abuse.
   • For so long, Theon Greyjoy was the punching bag of Game of Thrones, a sort of shitty Charlie Brown who not only failed to kick the football, but would then be beaten savagely with it every time he landed on his ass. 2019 April 14, Alex McLevy, “Winter is Here on Game of Thrones’ Final Season Premiere (Newbies)”, in The A.V. Club, archived from the original on 18 Dec 2020:
   • The response was swift, and [Harold] Bloom became a punching bag for leftist critics, who valued literature’s power to deliver social and political messages for the underrepresented. 2025 June 16, Eric Bulson, “Yes I Will Read ‘Ulysses’ Yes”, in The Atlantic, →ISSN, archived from the original on 16 Jun 2025:

Forms

Coordinates

swerve ball · focus bag · speed ball

Hyponyms

speed bag

Synonyms

punchbag · punchbag

Translations (75)

id samsak (person serving as an object of abuse) · cmn 拳擊沙袋 /拳击沙袋 (tough bag punched or kicked when practising sports such as boxing or martial arts) · fr souffre-douleur (person serving as an object of abuse) · pt saco de boxe (tough bag punched or kicked when practising sports such as boxing or martial arts) · ru гру́ша (person serving as an object of abuse) · pt saco de pancada (tough bag punched or kicked when practising sports such as boxing or martial arts) · sh vreća za udaranje (tough bag punched or kicked when practising sports such as boxing or martial arts) · id samsak (tough bag punched or kicked when practising sports such as boxing or martial arts) · nl bokszak (tough bag punched or kicked when practising sports such as boxing or martial arts) · fr punching-ball (tough bag punched or kicked when practising sports such as boxing or martial arts) · hy տանձիկ (tough bag punched or kicked when practising sports such as boxing or martial arts) · de Zielscheibe (person serving as an object of abuse) · de Sandsack (tough bag punched or kicked when practising sports such as boxing or martial arts) · sh боксерски врећа (tough bag punched or kicked when practising sports such as boxing or martial arts) · vi bao cát (tough bag punched or kicked when practising sports such as boxing or martial arts) · ar كيس ملاكمة (tough bag punched or kicked when practising sports such as boxing or martial arts) · el σάκος πυγμαχίας (tough bag punched or kicked when practising sports such as boxing or martial arts) · fi heittopussi (person serving as an object of abuse) · yue 出氣筒 /出气筒 (person serving as an object of abuse) · be баксёрская груша (tough bag punched or kicked when practising sports such as boxing or martial arts) · hu bokszzsák (tough bag punched or kicked when practising sports such as boxing or martial arts) · sh боксерски џак (tough bag punched or kicked when practising sports such as boxing or martial arts) · sv slagpåse (person serving as an object of abuse) · sl boks vreča (tough bag punched or kicked when practising sports such as boxing or martial arts) · ru ма́льчик для битья́ (person serving as an object of abuse) · sv boxningssäck (tough bag punched or kicked when practising sports such as boxing or martial arts) · es saco de boxeo (tough bag punched or kicked when practising sports such as boxing or martial arts) · ka გრუშა (tough bag punched or kicked when practising sports such as boxing or martial arts) · ko 샌드백 (tough bag punched or kicked when practising sports such as boxing or martial arts) · tr kum torbası (tough bag punched or kicked when practising sports such as boxing or martial arts) · de Prügelknabe (person serving as an object of abuse) · ur چھدرن بیگ (tough bag punched or kicked when practising sports such as boxing or martial arts) · pl chłopiec do bicia (person serving as an object of abuse) · uk боксерська груша (tough bag punched or kicked when practising sports such as boxing or martial arts) · la cōrycus (tough bag punched or kicked when practising sports such as boxing or martial arts) · ja サンドバッグ (tough bag punched or kicked when practising sports such as boxing or martial arts) · ca sac de boxa (tough bag punched or kicked when practising sports such as boxing or martial arts) · cmn 出氣筒 /出气筒 (person serving as an object of abuse) · fi nyrkkeilysäkki (tough bag punched or kicked when practising sports such as boxing or martial arts) · ro sac de box (tough bag punched or kicked when practising sports such as boxing or martial arts) · pl worek do bicia (tough bag punched or kicked when practising sports such as boxing or martial arts) · tr boks torbası (tough bag punched or kicked when practising sports such as boxing or martial arts) · fr tête de turc (person serving as an object of abuse) · bg боксова круша (person serving as an object of abuse) · yue 沙包 (person serving as an object of abuse) · da boksesæk (tough bag punched or kicked when practising sports such as boxing or martial arts) · eu boxeo zakua (tough bag punched or kicked when practising sports such as boxing or martial arts) · cs boxovací pytel (tough bag punched or kicked when practising sports such as boxing or martial arts) · yue 沙包 (tough bag punched or kicked when practising sports such as boxing or martial arts) · sk boxovacie vrece (tough bag punched or kicked when practising sports such as boxing or martial arts) · grc κώρυκος (tough bag punched or kicked when practising sports such as boxing or martial arts) · pt saco de pancada (person serving as an object of abuse) · ca sac de boxa (person serving as an object of abuse) · cmn 吊袋 (tough bag punched or kicked when practising sports such as boxing or martial arts) · sv sandsäck (tough bag punched or kicked when practising sports such as boxing or martial arts) · no boksesekk (tough bag punched or kicked when practising sports such as boxing or martial arts) · cmn 沙包 (tough bag punched or kicked when practising sports such as boxing or martial arts) · fa کیسه بوکس (tough bag punched or kicked when practising sports such as boxing or martial arts) · ru боксёрский мешо́к (tough bag punched or kicked when practising sports such as boxing or martial arts) · it sacco da boxe (tough bag punched or kicked when practising sports such as boxing or martial arts) · he שַׂק אִגְרוּף (tough bag punched or kicked when practising sports such as boxing or martial arts) · de Boxsack (tough bag punched or kicked when practising sports such as boxing or martial arts) · sh bokserski džak (tough bag punched or kicked when practising sports such as boxing or martial arts) · sh bokserski vreća (tough bag punched or kicked when practising sports such as boxing or martial arts) · sh врећа за ударање (tough bag punched or kicked when practising sports such as boxing or martial arts) · bg боксова круша (tough bag punched or kicked when practising sports such as boxing or martial arts) · fr sac de frappe (tough bag punched or kicked when practising sports such as boxing or martial arts) · pl worek treningowy (tough bag punched or kicked when practising sports such as boxing or martial arts) · cmn 小媳婦 /小媳妇 (person serving as an object of abuse) · ps سوک وهونکی (tough bag punched or kicked when practising sports such as boxing or martial arts) · ru боксёрская гру́ша (tough bag punched or kicked when practising sports such as boxing or martial arts) · bg боксов чувал (tough bag punched or kicked when practising sports such as boxing or martial arts) · fr sac de boxe (tough bag punched or kicked when practising sports such as boxing or martial arts) · es saco de boxeo (person serving as an object of abuse) · he שַׂק חֲבָטוֹת (tough bag punched or kicked when practising sports such as boxing or martial arts)