Definition of impunity
:exemption or freedom from punishment, harm, or loss
- laws were flouted with impunity
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Examples of impunity in a Sentence
she mistakenly believed that she could insult people with impunity
Recent Examples of impunity from the Web
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A way to congratulate herself for supposedly being this post-racial woman that gave her a free pass to say these deplorable and harmful things and do so with impunity.
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Most of the migrants set off from the northern coast of Libya, where the absence of a single central government since the fall of the former dictator Muammar el-Qaddafi has allowed human traffickers to work with impunity.
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Survivors are discouraged from speaking openly about rape, Borja says, meaning attacks could continue with impunity.
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Should the alt-right be allowed to blockade Deray Mckesson speeches with impunity?
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All of these measures are favored by industry executives who want to produce and pollute with impunity to maximize profits—and who also happen to make a lot of campaign donations.
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People seem to believe that in this narcissistic, social media age, accusations can be made with impunity.
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There is nothing unusual about Philippine police murdering with impunity.
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In comic books, just as in real-life America, police go after low-level criminals (and innocent bystanders) in poor neighborhoods with near impunity but rich and powerful white-collar criminals get away scot-free all the time.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'impunity.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Did You Know?
Impunity (like the words pain, penal, and punish) traces to the Latin noun poena, meaning "punishment." The Latin word, in turn, came from Greek poinē, meaning "payment" or "penalty." People acting with impunity have prompted use of the word since the 1500s, as in this 1660 example by Englishman Roger Coke: "This unlimited power of doing anything with impunity, will only beget a confidence in kings of doing what they list [desire]." While royals may act with impunity more easily than others, the word impunity can be applied to the lowliest of beings as well as the loftiest: "Certain beetles have learned to detoxify [willow] leaves in their digestive tract so they can eat them with impunity" (Smithsonian, September 1986).
Origin and Etymology of impunity
Middle French or Latin; Middle French impunité, from Latin impunitat-, impunitas, from impune without punishment, from in- + poena punishment — more at pain
impunity Synonyms
Synonyms
exemption, immunityRelated Words
aegis (also egis), armor, cover, defense, guard, protection, safeguard, safety, security, shield; buffer, bumper, screen; absolution, absolving, dispensation, forgivenessNear Antonyms
exposure, liability, openness, susceptibility, susceptibleness, vulnerabilityIMPUNITY Defined for English Language Learners
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See words that rhyme with impunity Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for impunity Spanish Central: Translation of impunity Nglish: Translation of impunity for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of impunity for Arabic speakers
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