VocabularyBasePractice words

Meaning & use

punch list

noun·AdvancedAmericanbusiness

Last updated

UK/ˈpʌntʃ lɪst/
US/ˈpʌntʃ lɪst/

Meanings

  1. nouncountableAmericanspecialist

    A list of small jobs or flaws to be fixed before a project, usually a building, can be considered finished.

    Grammar: Countable: make a punch list, several punch lists.

    Patterns

    • a punch list of something
    • work through the punch list

    The contractor handed us a punch list of paint touch-ups and loose handles.

    We can't make the final payment until every item on the punch list is done.

    She walked through the new house with a clipboard and started the punch list.

  2. nouncountableinformal

    Any list of final small tasks to complete before finishing a piece of work.

    Grammar: Informal extension: a punch list for the product launch.

    Patterns

    • a punch list for something

    Before the launch, the team made a punch list of small bugs.

    I have a short punch list before the report is ready to send.

Word forms

pluralpunch lists

Common combinations

work through a punch list
The crew will work through the punch list on Monday.
final punch list
The final punch list included a cracked tile and a squeaky door.
punch list items
Punch list items must be fixed before sign-off.
create a punch list
We create a punch list during the last walkthrough.
complete the punch list
The builder promised to complete the punch list by Friday.

Synonyms and how they differ

snag list
Snag list is the British equivalent, used in the same way for remaining defects.
to-do list
A to-do list can cover any tasks, whereas a punch list is specifically about final fixes.
checklist
A checklist is a general list of things to verify, while a punch list identifies faults that still need work.

Word family

punch out phrasal verb
to finish the remaining tasks on a project (informal, American)
list noun
a set of items written down in order

Commonly confused: punch list or bucket list?

punch list vs bucket list

A bucket list is a list of things you want to do in life. A punch list is a list of small jobs to finish on a project.

Practice

The builder finished the house, but a few cracked tiles and a loose door handle were still on the ___.

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “punch list”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

Your sentence stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.

Explore more words