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

Synonyms of punishment

• penalty
• wrath

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

Jamie Court, president of Consumer Watchdog, said Clark deserved a tougher punishment, including being barred from practicing law in the state. —Dakota Smith, Los Angeles Times, 19 Feb. 2026

Prosecutors in the case recommended the death penalty as punishment for Yoon, given the severity of his crimes. —Washington Examiner Staff, The Washington Examiner, 19 Feb. 2026

Exile is a state of being barred from a homeland—of being forced to live in a foreign world as punishment for not conforming. —Literary Hub, 18 Feb. 2026

During the punishment phase of the hearing, evidence of Dixon's prior 2015 robbery conviction was presented. —Briauna Brown, CBS News, 18 Feb. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing punishment

• capital punishment
• corporal punishment
• cruel and unusual punishment
• glutton for punishment
• self-punishment
• sucker for punishment

Kids 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

Legal Definition

punishment

noun

pun·​ish·​ment

1

: the act of punishing

2

: a penalty (as a fine or imprisonment) inflicted on an offender through the judicial and especially criminal process see also cruel and unusual punishment