as in penalty
suffering, loss, or hardship imposed in response to a crime or offense
he is serving five years in prison as punishment for aggravated assault
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Recent Examples of punishment
Tales such as James Maddison washing his manager’s car at Coventry City as a punishment for a misdemeanour remind you that European finals are the end of long roads.
—
Phil Hay, New York Times, 21 May 2025
Expulsion is the most severe form of congressional punishment that can be brought upon a member.
—Lauren Green, The Washington Examiner, 21 May 2025
On the same day she was sworn into office, Pirro unveiled on Wednesday evening the punishment for two men who carried out a broad-daylight drive-by shooting near a D.C. elementary school.
—Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 15 May 2025
Though itself a form of punishment, the breathalyzers were also pitched as a compromise to prevent people from losing their driving privileges entirely—something that can be devastating in a country where driving is often essential for work and daily life.
—Mack Degeurin, Popular Science, 15 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for punishment
Phil Hay, New York Times, 21 May 2025
Expulsion is the most severe form of congressional punishment that can be brought upon a member.
—Lauren Green, The Washington Examiner, 21 May 2025
On the same day she was sworn into office, Pirro unveiled on Wednesday evening the punishment for two men who carried out a broad-daylight drive-by shooting near a D.C. elementary school.
—Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 15 May 2025
Though itself a form of punishment, the breathalyzers were also pitched as a compromise to prevent people from losing their driving privileges entirely—something that can be devastating in a country where driving is often essential for work and daily life.
—Mack Degeurin, Popular Science, 15 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for punishment
Recent Examples of Synonyms for punishment
Noun
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Liverpool played a full part in the second leg and PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma was superb during the game as well as in the decisive penalty shootout.—
The Athletic UK Staff,
New York Times,
2 June 2025
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Soto has been assessed such a penalty in 2019, 2022 and 2023, and narrowly missed getting one in 2024.—
Tony Blengino,
Forbes.com,
2 June 2025
Noun
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Does that mean the nine California Republicans, all of whom voted last month for the tax and spending bill, could face his political wrath?—
David Lightman,
Sacbee.com,
5 June 2025
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More to Read Voices Contributor: Once, international students feared Beijing’s wrath.—
Daniel Miller,
Los Angeles Times,
29 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Punishment.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/punishment. Accessed 9 Jun. 2025.
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