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
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
Chloe Johnson was also charged with two counts of aiding and abetting third-degree assault and two counts of aiding and abetting malicious punishment of a child.
—
CBS News, 16 Dec. 2025
Trump also imposed an extra 40 percent tariff on Brazilian goods, which Brasília interpreted partly as punishment for the government’s pursuit of Bolsonaro.
—Nic Cheeseman, Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2025
As punishment, the pope forbade the city’s citizens from selling their textiles, plunging them into poverty.
—Laura Itzkowitz, Travel + Leisure, 16 Dec. 2025
When states tried in the 1970s and 1980s to penalize outlets that identified victims using names that had already appeared in court documents or police reports, the court said those punishments violated the First Amendment.
—Stephanie A, The Conversation, 15 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for punishment
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CBS News, 16 Dec. 2025
Trump also imposed an extra 40 percent tariff on Brazilian goods, which Brasília interpreted partly as punishment for the government’s pursuit of Bolsonaro.
—Nic Cheeseman, Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2025
As punishment, the pope forbade the city’s citizens from selling their textiles, plunging them into poverty.
—Laura Itzkowitz, Travel + Leisure, 16 Dec. 2025
When states tried in the 1970s and 1980s to penalize outlets that identified victims using names that had already appeared in court documents or police reports, the court said those punishments violated the First Amendment.
—Stephanie A, The Conversation, 15 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for punishment
Cite this Entry
“Punishment.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/punishment. Accessed 18 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationKids 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
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