as in punitive
inflicting, involving, or serving as punishment
threatened to take correctional measures if the household chores were not done the state's largest correctional institution
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Recent Examples of correctional
Minnesota correctional officials say many people accused of crimes were released directly to ICE by state or county prisons and jails.
—
Kate Wells, NPR, 5 Mar. 2026
Investigators appeared to have learned of the relationship after correctional officer Donald Robinson’s phone was found in August 2025 in the inmate’s cell.
—Meredith Colias-Pete, Chicago Tribune, 4 Mar. 2026
Those homicides received little public attention except when the victim was a correctional officer.
—The Oklahoman, Oklahoman, 3 Mar. 2026
Corrections officers at the facility were projected to earn a base salary of more than $120,000 a year, almost three times the base pay of correctional officers in the state’s prisons, which have been plagued by chronic understaffing.
—Kate Payne, Sun Sentinel, 2 Mar. 2026
Photograph by Dan Winters for The New Yorker In 2019, just two weeks before Nashville’s new jail was supposed to open, a correctional officer noticed something odd.
—David Remnick, New Yorker, 2 Mar. 2026
The union representing correctional officers quickly opposed the recommendation in a Monday afternoon statement, arguing that permanent closures present fiscal and operational risks to California.
—William Melhado, Sacbee.com, 24 Feb. 2026
The state’s current correctional system has a 40% vacancy rate which equals approximately 2800 vacant positions that has been vacant for the last six months.
—Charlotte Observer, 20 Feb. 2026
Song continued firing at the wounded officer, who is not named in court documents, as well as at two correctional officers until his rifle jammed, authorities said.
—Kevin Krause, Dallas Morning News, 18 Feb. 2026
Kate Wells, NPR, 5 Mar. 2026
Investigators appeared to have learned of the relationship after correctional officer Donald Robinson’s phone was found in August 2025 in the inmate’s cell.
—Meredith Colias-Pete, Chicago Tribune, 4 Mar. 2026
Those homicides received little public attention except when the victim was a correctional officer.
—The Oklahoman, Oklahoman, 3 Mar. 2026
Corrections officers at the facility were projected to earn a base salary of more than $120,000 a year, almost three times the base pay of correctional officers in the state’s prisons, which have been plagued by chronic understaffing.
—Kate Payne, Sun Sentinel, 2 Mar. 2026
Photograph by Dan Winters for The New Yorker In 2019, just two weeks before Nashville’s new jail was supposed to open, a correctional officer noticed something odd.
—David Remnick, New Yorker, 2 Mar. 2026
The union representing correctional officers quickly opposed the recommendation in a Monday afternoon statement, arguing that permanent closures present fiscal and operational risks to California.
—William Melhado, Sacbee.com, 24 Feb. 2026
The state’s current correctional system has a 40% vacancy rate which equals approximately 2800 vacant positions that has been vacant for the last six months.
—Charlotte Observer, 20 Feb. 2026
Song continued firing at the wounded officer, who is not named in court documents, as well as at two correctional officers until his rifle jammed, authorities said.
—Kevin Krause, Dallas Morning News, 18 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for correctional
Adjective
-
Doing that is not aggressive or punitive.—
Jeanne Phillips,
Mercury News,
6 Mar. 2026
-
Drug policy reform that is grounded in scientific evidence would favor stigma-free counseling and treatment over punitive measures.—
Lauren Micalizzi,
STAT,
2 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Tennessee had one of the worst penal systems in America, and the problems continued well into the twentieth century.—
James Verini,
New Yorker,
2 Mar. 2026
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Russell is charged with both abuse of residents in penal facilities and misconduct in public office.—
Kelli Arseneau,
jsonline.com,
12 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Under standard procedure, DHS had 90 days to respond to the report with a corrective action plan.—
Nicole Sganga,
CBS News,
6 Mar. 2026
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Valdez will provide an oral presentation of his department’s audit, plus a corrective action plan and ensure timely contractor payments and transparency to the Board of Supervisors at the April 14 board meeting.—
Steve Scauzillo,
Daily News,
4 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Correctional.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/correctional. Accessed 11 Mar. 2026.
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