punitive damages

plural noun

: damages awarded in excess of compensation to the plaintiff to punish a defendant for a serious wrong

Examples of punitive damages in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

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The civil lawsuit in DeKalb County State Court demands that the private university repay money the three spent defending themselves against misdemeanor charges that were later dismissed, along with punitive damages. —

CBS News, 23 Apr. 2026 Vasquez is seeking damages for unpaid wages and emotional distress, as well as punitive damages, though the exact amount was not reported. —

Jami Ganz, New York Daily News, 21 Apr. 2026 The judge denied the defendants’ request to dismiss the negligence, emotional distress and punitive damages claims. —

Meg James, Los Angeles Times, 18 Apr. 2026 The recent verdict in Cook County ordering Abbott Laboratories to pay $70 million in compensatory and punitive damages related to four cases of NEC has the potential to drastically change that risk-benefit analysis for preterm infants far beyond the Chicago area. —

Alexander Crider, Chicago Tribune, 17 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for punitive damages

Word History

First Known Use

1858, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of punitive damages was in 1858

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Browse Nearby Words

punitive

punitive damages

punitory

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Punitive damages.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/punitive%20damages. Accessed 28 Apr. 2026.

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