1
as in fine
a sum of money to be paid as a punishment
the penalty for speeding is $10 for every mile over the speed limit
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in punishment
suffering, loss, or hardship imposed in response to a crime or offense
in some cases, the new penalties for drug offenses were harsher than those for violent crimes
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in disadvantage
the negative result caused by something that creates difficulty for achieving success
suffered the penalty of his decision to leave school without graduating
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of penalty
This month, the influential environmental group Conservation Colorado filed ballot measures with the state elections office that would slap stricter penalties on the energy industry for the pollution and contamination that result from its operations.
—
John Aguilar, Denver Post, 29 Mar. 2026
The violations, which according to the jurors reached thousands, resulted in a penalty of $375 million.
—Ibrahim Aksoy, CBS News, 29 Mar. 2026
Some of the best personal lenders offer fast funding, no prepayment penalties and flexible credit score requirements.
—Jasmin Suknanan, CNBC, 28 Mar. 2026
The Predators had a pair of power plays in the second against a penalty killing unit ranked 27th in the NHL but couldn’t beat Fowler.
—ABC News, 28 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for penalty
John Aguilar, Denver Post, 29 Mar. 2026
The violations, which according to the jurors reached thousands, resulted in a penalty of $375 million.
—Ibrahim Aksoy, CBS News, 29 Mar. 2026
Some of the best personal lenders offer fast funding, no prepayment penalties and flexible credit score requirements.
—Jasmin Suknanan, CNBC, 28 Mar. 2026
The Predators had a pair of power plays in the second against a penalty killing unit ranked 27th in the NHL but couldn’t beat Fowler.
—ABC News, 28 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for penalty
Recent Examples of Synonyms for penalty
Noun
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She is also being ordered to pay nearly $4 million in fines and court costs, more than half of it going to pay private attorney's fees that the county racked up in suing her.—
John Ramos,
CBS News,
31 Mar. 2026
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Empower was barred from doing business in Washington DC last year after the company was found to have flouted licensing requirements and ignored fines in the nation’s capital.—
Evan Simko-Bednarski,
New York Daily News,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
But the message did not say what happened or if any students faced punishment .—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
26 Mar. 2026
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Georgia lawmakers have approved a bill creating more legal punishments for protesters and others who obstruct the state's streets and highways.—
Dan Raby,
CBS News,
24 Mar. 2026
Noun
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If society is looking to keep the underserved at a disadvantage relative to their peers, forcing them to attend failing schools is a good way to go about it.—
Chris Roemer,
Baltimore Sun,
26 Mar. 2026
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Charlie makes an excellent point about what the disadvantage might be.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
26 Mar. 2026
Noun
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While the $6 million in damages a jury in Los Angeles awarded to the 20-year-old plaintiff — which the companies vowed to appeal — will barely register on their balance sheets, the impact of the verdict will likely be more damaging and harder to quantify.—
Kurt Wagner,
Bloomberg,
26 Mar. 2026
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The judge has final say over how much damages are awarded.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
26 Mar. 2026
Noun
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My refusal to accept his drinking has led him to cast his wrath upon me on occasion.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Washington Post,
31 Mar. 2026
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Mullin will also face congressional Democrats’ wrath as lawmakers on Capitol Hill have already begun to investigate DHS for the massive contracts to individuals and companies that were inexperienced, had connections to Noem’s staff, or contained other irregularities.—
Anna Giaritelli,
The Washington Examiner,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Documents reviewed by the Miami Herald show that only a portion of the funds handled through TourProdEnter can be clearly tied to legitimate AFA expenses.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
27 Mar. 2026
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An online fundraiser has also been launched by Brown's family and friends to help cover rebuilding expenses.—
Abby Dodge,
CBS News,
27 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Penalty.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/penalty. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
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