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
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
On the same day she was sworn into office, Pirro unveiled on Wednesday evening the punishment for two men who carried out a broad-daylight drive-by shooting near a D.C. elementary school.
—
Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 15 May 2025
Though itself a form of punishment, the breathalyzers were also pitched as a compromise to prevent people from losing their driving privileges entirely—something that can be devastating in a country where driving is often essential for work and daily life.
—Mack Degeurin, Popular Science, 15 May 2025
Last Friday, Damien Marshall and other King & Spalding attorneys on behalf of MSG filed a memorandum of law in opposition to Oakley’s motion for what are known as spoliation sanctions, meaning a punishment for failure to preserve relevant evidence.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 14 May 2025
Rose died just last fall but Manfred chose not to lift his ban in his lifetime, a punitive last twist of the knife in a dubiously long punishment for gambling -- for betting not against but on his own Cincinnati Reds teams to win.
—Greg Cote, Miami Herald, 14 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for punishment
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Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 15 May 2025
Though itself a form of punishment, the breathalyzers were also pitched as a compromise to prevent people from losing their driving privileges entirely—something that can be devastating in a country where driving is often essential for work and daily life.
—Mack Degeurin, Popular Science, 15 May 2025
Last Friday, Damien Marshall and other King & Spalding attorneys on behalf of MSG filed a memorandum of law in opposition to Oakley’s motion for what are known as spoliation sanctions, meaning a punishment for failure to preserve relevant evidence.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 14 May 2025
Rose died just last fall but Manfred chose not to lift his ban in his lifetime, a punitive last twist of the knife in a dubiously long punishment for gambling -- for betting not against but on his own Cincinnati Reds teams to win.
—Greg Cote, Miami Herald, 14 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for punishment
Cite this Entry
“Punishment.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/punishment. Accessed 29 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids 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
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