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A state or country's penal code defines its crimes and describes its punishments. During the 18th and 19th centuries, many countries established penal colonies, where criminals were sent as punishment. Often these were unbearably severe; but it was to such colonies that some of Australia's and the United States' early white inhabitants came, and the convicts provided labor for the European settlement of these lands.
Synonyms
Examples of penal in a Sentence
Lateshia Beachum, Washington Post, 10 Apr. 2024
The kapos directly supervising the penal company were among the camp’s most unscrupulous criminals, depraved outcasts who were said to enjoy crushing Jewish men’s testicles with a wooden hammer on a board.
—Keren Blankfeld, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 Jan. 2024
Yesterday, Wade arrived at the county penal farm expecting to see her son’s remains exhumed.
—Elizabeth Robinson, NBC News, 14 Nov. 2023
Hinds County has buried hundreds of people in pauper's graves near a penal farm.
—Jon Schuppe, NBC News, 3 Feb. 2024
Biden has said Putin is responsible for Navalny's death, given his long custody in Russia's penal system.
—Toluse Olorunnipa The Washington Post, arkansasonline.com, 23 Feb. 2024
But even during a brutal tour of Russia’s penal system, Navalny maintained his composure – and his extraordinary sense of humor.
—Nathan Hodge, CNN, 17 Feb. 2024
As far as recidivism, studies show that investing in programs for youth decreases repeat offenses and results in higher wages after the penal system.
—Charlotte Observer, 8 Feb. 2024
Evgenia had just testified before the U.S. Helsinki Commission, a bipartisan congressional committee, about an unending crisis of her own: Her husband, Vladimir Kara-Murza, a personal enemy of the Kremlin, is among the most prominent inmates in Russia’s penal system.
—Linda Kinstler, The Atlantic, 11 Jan. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'penal.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin poenalis, from poena punishment — more at pain entry 1
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Phrases Containing penal
Dictionary Entries Near penal
Cite this Entry
“Penal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/penal. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.
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Kids Definition
penal
adjective
Legal Definition
penal
adjective
More from Merriam-Webster on penal
Nglish: Translation of penal for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of penal for Arabic Speakers
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