PENAL Synonyms: 30 Similar and Opposite Words

penal

adjective

ˈpē-nᵊl

Definition of penal

as in punitive

inflicting, involving, or serving as punishment Australia was once a penal colony

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Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of penal While the two men entered the Russian penal system around the same time, their cases differ significantly. — Jared Kofsky, ABC News, 11 Aug. 2026 Colorado was the first of eight states to repeal its penal exception clause. — Julia Bowling, The Conversation, 29 May 2026 The charges included seven counts of falsifying a record and one felony count of abuse of a resident of a penal facility. — Nichole Manna, ProPublica, 28 Apr. 2026 In the new South, one scrabbling to industrialize, business owners could now hire unpaid labor through the penal system. — Sara Holdren, Vulture, 26 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for penal

Recent Examples of Synonyms for penal

Adjective

Rather than imposing more punitive rules on all shoppers, however, retailers should identify high-risk returns and apply additional verification selectively to protect the customer experience for the vast swathe of legitimate patrons.

— Jasmin Malik Chua, Footwear News, 2 Oct. 2026
The measure would have barred Switzerland from joining punitive measures against other countries unless they were imposed by the United Nations.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of punitive

Adjective

Simple things like being able to choose when to sleep, and showering without a correctional officer escort are novel changes after a quarter-century behind bars.

— ABC News, ABC News, 29 Sep. 2026
According to Macallair, who has been working on juvenile justice reform for more than 40 years, any facility with more than 10 kids becomes unwieldy, distracting from rehabilitation and becoming more correctional.

— Paige Pfleger, ProPublica, 25 Sep. 2026

Definition of correctional

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pen

penal

penalize

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“Penal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/penal. Accessed 8 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of penal

adjective

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