penalize

verb pe·nal·ize \ ˈpē-nə-ˌlīz , ˈpe- \

Updated on: 14 Apr 2018

Definition of penalize

penalized; penalizing

transitive verb

1 : to inflict a penalty on

2 : to put at a serious disadvantage

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penalization

play \ˈpē-nə-lə-ˈzā-shən\ noun

See penalize defined for English-language learners

See penalize defined for kids

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 of penalize from the Web

They are penalized at work for making their families a priority, while also being expected to handle the vast majority of child and elder care.

— rachel thomas and debra l. ness, Time, "1 in 3 Americans Don’t Know That a Gender Wage Gap Exists, Survey Says," 10 Apr. 2018
But on lap 117 Dowling was penalized for jumping a restart, handing the lead to McKennedy, who looked to be on a cruise to his second consecutive victory after winning the season opener at Myrtle Beach.

— courant.com, "Justin Bonsignore Wins Icebreaker 150 At Thompson For His First Whelen Modified Tour Victory Since 2016," 8 Apr. 2018
While the Chinese did not target soybeans in their initial tariffs list, many in the soybean industry worry they will be penalized in a trade dispute given China’s importance as a market for exports.

— ana swanson, New York Times, "Looming China Trade Action Divides Industry and Roils Markets," 2 Apr. 2018
But we are also told that Asian Americans are penalized for those same policies.

— alvin chang, Vox, "Asians are being used to make the case against affirmative action. Again.," 28 Mar. 2018
The New York Times report said the Saints anti-fraternization policy requires cheerleaders to avoid contact with players, in person or online, even though players are not penalized for pursuing such engagement with cheerleaders.

— CBS News, "Bailey Davis, ex-New Orleans Saints cheerleader, says NFL team's policies discriminate," 27 Mar. 2018
The ride-hailing companies, meanwhile, are generally in favor of congestion charges, especially ones that don’t penalize ride-hail passengers any more than personal car owners.

— aarian marshall, WIRED, "How Much Does It Cost to Unclog NYC's Streets?," 15 Mar. 2018
Under the basic framework of the program, companies would either be charged a tax for emitting beyond certain levels, or would participate in a trading program that penalizes polluters by rewarding those who comply with federal emissions levels.

— Newsweek, "Analysis," 14 Mar. 2018
And in Ohio, opponents have gone to federal court to block a law to take effect March 23 that would penalize doctors who perform abortions sought by women because of a fetal diagnosis of Down syndrome, the Cincinnati Enquirer reported.

— deborah yetter, The Courier-Journal, "Down syndrome kids being exploited in Kentucky abortion debate, critics argue," 13 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'penalize.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.