unpunished

adjective

un·​pun·​ished ˌən-ˈpə-nisht How to pronounce unpunished (audio)
Synonyms of unpunishednext
: not punished
an unpunished criminal/crime
an offense that should not be allowed to go unpunished

Examples of unpunished 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.
Iran doesn’t intend to push the country toward war, but won’t allow either domestic or international criminals to go unpunished, Khamenei said. Arsalan Shahla, Fortune, 17 Jan. 2026 While these high-profile cases break through the silence and expose the egregious abuses of men whose standing insulated them for years, millions of survivors, particularly migrant women, remain invisible, and countless perpetrators go unpunished. Mónica Ramírez, Time, 8 Jan. 2026 The violation will almost certainly go unpunished, but the rules and norms will be missed. Graeme Wood, The Atlantic, 3 Jan. 2026 And to this day, despite what people might wish, the fact is that when a tree gets cut down, special or otherwise, the deed goes more or less unpunished. Rosa Lyster, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for unpunished

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of unpunished was in the 14th century

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Cite this Entry

“Unpunished.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unpunished. Accessed 28 Jan. 2026.

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