self-punishment

noun

self-pun·​ish·​ment ˌself-ˈpə-nish-mənt How to pronounce self-punishment (audio)
: the act of punishing oneself
Leaving early to train for an Ironman triathlon—a masterwork of self-punishment—is, however, deeply respected.Kyle Smith
Life was hard enough on me without adding the burden of additional self-punishment.Ann Finnie

Examples of self-punishment in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Peppers dropped to do pushups on the sideline as a form of self-punishment after dropping Maye's only incompletion. Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 23 July 2025 In a religious context, disability was often seen as a punishment from God or a way to test one’s sense of repentance via self-punishment. Stephanie Edwards, Discover Magazine, 16 May 2025 The film follows a man living in self-punishment after a fatal car accident who finds redemption through his relationship with his deceased friend’s young son. Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 20 Jan. 2025 The effort to exonerate herself in her own mind leads her to rituals of exertion and self-punishment. Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 11 Sep. 2024 Sure, the average man probably wouldn’t eat an entire bar of soap in the middle of a group hang as a form of self-punishment for violating bro code, but who among us doesn’t want to be accepted? David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 10 Sep. 2024 There was a quality of self-punishment to these actions. Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 11 Aug. 2024 As Chung seeks a way to grieve without self-punishment, this open-hearted, unflinching account will be a boon to others. Barbara Vandenburgh, USA TODAY, 1 Apr. 2023

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1586, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of self-punishment was circa 1586

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Self-punishment.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/self-punishment. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.

Medical Definition

self-punishment

noun
self-pun·​ish·​ment -ˈpən-ish-mənt How to pronounce self-punishment (audio)
: punishment of oneself
masochistic self-punishment
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