penalize

verb

pe·​nal·​ize ˈpē-nə-ˌlīz  ˈpe- 

penalized; penalizing

transitive verb

1

: to inflict a penalty on

2

: to put at a serious disadvantage

penalization

ˈpē-nə-lə-ˈzā-shən 

noun

Synonyms

• punish

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

Later in the first half, a fight broke out on a kickoff that saw two Cowboys get penalized. —Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Sep. 2025

The official threw a flag on the play, which penalized Carter and ejected him from the game. —Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 5 Sep. 2025

The spit seen around the world The Philadelphia Eagles defeated the Dallas Cowboys in the NFL season opener, but all anyone can talk about is Eagles defensive lineman Jalen Carter, who was penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct. —Jade Walker, CNN Money, 5 Sep. 2025

The fear of being judged, penalized, or replaced by AI is real, especially for underrepresented groups, like women, who use it less. —Brad Rencher, Fortune, 5 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1888, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for penalize

• advertise
• aggrandize
• agonize
• alibis
• alkalies
• alkalis
• amortize
• amplifies
• analyse
• analyze
• anywise
• authorize

Kids Definition

penalize

verb

pe·​nal·​ize ˈpēn-ᵊl-ˌīz  ˈpen- 

penalized; penalizing

1

: to give a penalty to

2

: to place at a disadvantage