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
Musk likely won’t be allowed to pursue additional, punitive damages.
—
Bloomberg News, Boston Herald, 14 Mar. 2026
Pras had initially sought compensation for lost income, as well as punitive damages, legal expenses, and more.
—Hattie Lindert, Pitchfork, 13 Mar. 2026
According to the suit, Webber has suffered loss of income, emotional distress and humiliation and seeks, among other things, back pay and compensatory and punitive damages.
—Marc Ramirez, USA Today, 12 Mar. 2026
But things did not go entirely the plaintiff’s way in the mixed judgment, as Tony Saxon, who brought the suit, was awarded only $140,000, plus lawyers’ fees and court costs, with no additional punitive damages.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 11 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for punitive damages
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Bloomberg News, Boston Herald, 14 Mar. 2026
Pras had initially sought compensation for lost income, as well as punitive damages, legal expenses, and more.
—Hattie Lindert, Pitchfork, 13 Mar. 2026
According to the suit, Webber has suffered loss of income, emotional distress and humiliation and seeks, among other things, back pay and compensatory and punitive damages.
—Marc Ramirez, USA Today, 12 Mar. 2026
But things did not go entirely the plaintiff’s way in the mixed judgment, as Tony Saxon, who brought the suit, was awarded only $140,000, plus lawyers’ fees and court costs, with no additional punitive damages.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 11 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for punitive damages
Cite this Entry
“Punitive damages.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/punitive%20damages. Accessed 18 Mar. 2026.
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