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

This distinctly North Korean punishment, used especially to discipline and defenestrate high officials, strips a person of office and sends him to perform physical labor and political reeducation, often in the countryside. — Jieun Baek, Foreign Affairs, 30 Oct. 2026

Her background did not excuse her conduct, Martinez argued, but should weigh in her punishment. — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 30 Oct. 2026

Denaturalization was a dramatic punishment, and the legal and political consensus was that it must be predicated on a dramatic crime. — Rozina Ali, New Yorker, 30 Oct. 2026

This scene raises questions about violence, punishment, and provocation as means to uphold dharma. — Tamanna Nangia, Encyclopedia Britannica, 30 Oct. 2026

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