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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 The museum, spanning a former cell block wing, is a deeply informative and well curated journey through the evolution of the nation’s penal system. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Sep. 2026 While the two men entered the Russian penal system around the same time, their cases differ significantly. — Jared Kofsky, ABC News, 11 Aug. 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

An exploration of self-perception and a non-punitive confrontation with the past.

— Anna Marie de la Fuente, Variety, 9 Oct. 2026
The South Korean announcement came days after its President Lee Jae Myung threatened to take unspecified punitive steps if Ukraine refuses to apologize over the revelation.

— ABC News, ABC News, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of punitive

Adjective

Just under 34,000 employees work for the agency, but not all are correctional officers.

— Scott Peyton, Washington Post, 8 Oct. 2026
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

Definition of correctional

Browse Nearby Words

pen

penal

penalize

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Penal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/penal. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of penal

adjective

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

zenith

Popular in Grammar & Usage

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 16

Popular

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

Games & Quizzes