Whiff Punish
Hitting your opponent during the recovery after they miss an attack.
Definitions
In fighting games, punishing an opponent who whiffs a move while they're stuck recovering.
By extension, any read-based counter that exploits an opponent's overcommitment.
As a verb, to deliberately bait a miss and capitalize on it.
Whiff Punish In A Sentence
Origin & Usage
A fighting-game compound combining 'whiff' (a missed move) with 'punish' (capitalizing on an unsafe action). Central to the spacing-and-footsies mind game in titles like Street Fighter.
People Also Ask
What does whiff punish mean in fighting games?
It means hitting your opponent during the recovery frames right after they miss an attack. You bait the whiff, then punish it.
How do you whiff punish?
You stay just out of range, let the opponent swing and miss, then dash in and hit them before they recover. It's a core footsies skill.
Is whiff punishing only in fighting games?
It's most associated with fighting games but the concept of punishing a missed move applies broadly. The exact term is a fighting-game one, though.
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