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.
Examples of punitive in a Sentence
Jeanne Phillips, Mercury News, 6 Mar. 2026
Drug policy reform that is grounded in scientific evidence would favor stigma-free counseling and treatment over punitive measures.
—Lauren Micalizzi, STAT, 2 Mar. 2026
Administrative complaints start the process that ends at the state Board of Medicine with either exoneration or punitive action.
—David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 1 Mar. 2026
The caliphate ruled Manbij for two brutal years—years of summary executions and punitive amputations.
—Anand Gopal, New Yorker, 28 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for punitive
Cite this Entry
“Punitive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/punitive. Accessed 9 Mar. 2026.
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punitive
adjective
Legal Definition
punitive
adjective
