punitive
adjective
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Punitive and the Law
Punitive is an important word in the law. When you sue a person or company for having wronged you in some way, you normally ask for something of value equal to what you were deprived of by the other party. But when the defendant has done something particularly bad, you may also ask for punitive damages, money over and above the actual cost of the harm done, intended to teach the defendant a lesson. Punitive damages are fairly rare, but when they're actually granted they may be as much as four times the size of the basic damages.
Synonyms
Examples of punitive in a Sentence
John Otis, NPR, 16 Apr. 2024
In 2022, a top Swiss official also warned that the country would impose punitive measures should China invade Taiwan, though Switzerland did not join subsequent E.U. sanctions against China.
—Koh Ewe, TIME, 12 Apr. 2024
Changes in toxicology testing policies The consequences of punitive policies toward substance use during pregnancy have been especially damaging for families of color and of low socioeconomic status.
—Mira Cheng, CNN, 11 Apr. 2024
While no state has gone as far as Oregon, others have taken a harm reduction approach to drug use and possession − the concept of keeping people alive and as healthy as possible for a chance at recovery − while recognizing that punitive measures such as prison sentences haven’t solved the problem.
—Sara Chernikoff, USA TODAY, 6 Apr. 2024
Levy responded to the state bar charges asking for discovery and arguing the case should qualify for the state bar’s Alternative Discipline Program, which would spare Levy more punitive consequences if the charge is found true.
—Nate Gartrell, The Mercury News, 25 Mar. 2024
The league’s new collective bargaining agreement is exceptionally punitive (to the point of being vindictive) to teams who remain in the luxury tax.
—Dieter Kurtenbach, The Mercury News, 25 Mar. 2024
The result is a paradox of punitive populism, in which democratically elected leaders with broad anticrime mandates undermine liberal democracy by adopting iron-fist policies that are not only popular but can also be effective.
—Gustavo Flores-Macías, Foreign Affairs, 20 Mar. 2024
The suit seeks punitive, compensatory and general damages for negligence, product construction and manufacturing defect liability and failure to protect passengers from harm.
—Marlene Lenthang, NBC News, 15 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'punitive.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Punitive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/punitive. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
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punitive
adjective
Legal Definition
punitive
adjective
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