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
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Nash’s lawyers are seeking general and compensatory damages; damages for emotional distress; punitive damages; costs of the lawsuit; and lost wages. Daniel Arkin, NBC news, 24 Sep. 2025 Caplis said Glenwood Caverns Holdings and Soaring Eagle are responsible for roughly 98% of the damages and that Caverns Holdings is responsible for the entire $123 million in punitive damages. Judith Kohler, Denver Post, 20 Sep. 2025 Public prosecutors could also bring civil actions, and workers could seek injunctive relief, punitive damages, and attorney’s fees through private lawsuits. Alonzo Martinez, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025 The lawsuit seeks $1 billion in actual damages against all the defendants, in addition to $3 billion in punitive damages against both the militant groups and the alleged state sponsors, plus Hezbollah. Ella Lee, The Hill, 18 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for punitive damages

Word History

First Known Use

1858, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of punitive damages was in 1858

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Cite this Entry

“Punitive damages.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/punitive%20damages. Accessed 30 Sep. 2025.

Legal Definition

punitive damages

see damage sense 2

More from Merriam-Webster on punitive damages

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