penalize

verb

pe·​nal·​ize ˈpē-nə-ˌlīz How to pronounce penalize (audio) ˈpe- How to pronounce penalize (audio)
penalized; penalizing

transitive verb

1
: to inflict a penalty on
2
: to put at a serious disadvantage
penalization noun

Examples of penalize in a Sentence

The company was penalized for not paying taxes. The hockey player was penalized for holding. This law would unfairly penalize immigrants.
Recent Examples on the Web One play after he was penalized for roughing the passer, Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby delivered a crunching hit on a first-quarter sack. Gary Klein, Los Angeles Times, 21 Oct. 2024 Prisoners could not be penalized for refusing assignments. Thomas Elias, The Mercury News, 18 Oct. 2024 And then he is essentially penalized for his transgressions with — spoiler alert — death by laser. Fran Tirado, Them, 15 Oct. 2024 Similarly, hiring algorithms trained on historical data reflecting existing gender imbalances in specific professions might unfairly penalize female applicants. Vasyl Rakivnenko, Forbes, 1 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for penalize 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'penalize.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1888, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of penalize was in 1888

Dictionary Entries Near penalize

Cite this Entry

“Penalize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/penalize. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

penalize

verb
pe·​nal·​ize ˈpēn-ᵊl-ˌīz How to pronounce penalize (audio) ˈpen- How to pronounce penalize (audio)
penalized; penalizing
1
: to give a penalty to
2
: to place at a disadvantage

More from Merriam-Webster on penalize

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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