as in punitive
inflicting, involving, or serving as punishment
Australia was once a penal colony
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Recent Examples of penal
The Chinese are also concentrating on plug-in hybrids, which don’t carry the same penal tariffs as pure EVs, and which may have a long-term future if the EU decides to dilute its carbon dioxide emissions regime.
—
Neil Winton, Forbes.com, 13 Sep. 2025
Sara has additionally been charged with possession of paraphernalia, possession of drug paraphernalia and the introduction of contraband into a penal facility, police said.
—Latoya Gayle, PEOPLE, 13 Sep. 2025
Joshua Anderson, who worked at Northeast Correctional Complex in Mountain City until February 2024, was indicted in September on charges of bringing contraband into a penal facility, official misconduct and bribery of a public servant.
—Evan Mealins, The Tennessean, 10 Aug. 2025
To bring in more workers, the colony’s leaders then requested a conversion to penal status, like others that had been established on the continent since the 1780s.
—Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 7 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for penal
Neil Winton, Forbes.com, 13 Sep. 2025
Sara has additionally been charged with possession of paraphernalia, possession of drug paraphernalia and the introduction of contraband into a penal facility, police said.
—Latoya Gayle, PEOPLE, 13 Sep. 2025
Joshua Anderson, who worked at Northeast Correctional Complex in Mountain City until February 2024, was indicted in September on charges of bringing contraband into a penal facility, official misconduct and bribery of a public servant.
—Evan Mealins, The Tennessean, 10 Aug. 2025
To bring in more workers, the colony’s leaders then requested a conversion to penal status, like others that had been established on the continent since the 1780s.
—Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 7 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for penal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for penal
Adjective
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Doing that is not aggressive or punitive.—
Jeanne Phillips,
Mercury News,
6 Mar. 2026
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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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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
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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
Cite this Entry
“Penal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/penal. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.
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