punishment

noun

pun·​ish·​ment ˈpə-nish-mənt 

1

: the act of punishing

2

a

: suffering, pain, or loss that serves as retribution

b

: a penalty inflicted on an offender through judicial procedure

3

: severe, rough, or disastrous treatment

Synonyms of punishment

• penalty
• wrath

Examples of punishment in a Sentence

I took away my daughter's car keys as a punishment for her bad behavior.

The punishments that the government has inflicted on the protesters are severe and unjust.

The punishment for murder is life imprisonment.

Some religions teach that wicked people will suffer eternal punishment in hell after they die.

Recent Examples on the Web

Seneca, the Roman philosopher and dramatist (and court counsellor), argued that punishment should be proportionate to the crime, and resisted the notion that every offense required execution. —Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 8 Dec. 2025

The school hasn't said how many of those investigations resulted in faculty punishment or the number of complaints so far this semester. —Cate Charron, IndyStar, 8 Dec. 2025

The week's biggest punishment went to Isiah Pacheco of the Kansas City Chiefs for with a $46,371 fine for unnecessary roughness (use of a helmet) against the Dallas Cowboys. —Anne Erickson, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Dec. 2025

His deportation appeared to be punishment for speaking out in our film. —Lisa Deaderick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Dec. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing punishment

• capital punishment
• corporal punishment
• cruel and unusual punishment
• glutton for punishment
• self-punishment
• sucker for punishment

Kids Definition

punishment

noun

pun·​ish·​ment ˈpən-ish-mənt 

1

a

: the act of punishing

b

: the state or fact of being punished

persons undergoing punishment

2

: the penalty for a fault or crime

the punishment for robbery

3

: severe, rough, or disastrous treatment

Legal Definition

punishment

noun

pun·​ish·​ment

1

: the act of punishing

2

: a penalty (as a fine or imprisonment) inflicted on an offender through the judicial and especially criminal process see also cruel and unusual punishment