as in punitive
inflicting, involving, or serving as punishment
Australia was once a penal colony
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Recent Examples of penal
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
The assignment to a penal detachment is arguably a death sentence, however, as Russia's military has routinely used ex-convict forces to conduct near-suicidal missions in the war against Ukraine, leading to high casualty rates.
—Anders Hagstrom, FOXNews.com, 15 Apr. 2025
Foucault articulated the judicial and penal shifts from public punishment to private regulation, drawing particular attention to Jeremy Bentham’s panopticon, an architectural concretization of the unseen but ever-present authority of the state.
—Sarah C. Schaefer, Artforum, 1 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for penal
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
The assignment to a penal detachment is arguably a death sentence, however, as Russia's military has routinely used ex-convict forces to conduct near-suicidal missions in the war against Ukraine, leading to high casualty rates.
—Anders Hagstrom, FOXNews.com, 15 Apr. 2025
Foucault articulated the judicial and penal shifts from public punishment to private regulation, drawing particular attention to Jeremy Bentham’s panopticon, an architectural concretization of the unseen but ever-present authority of the state.
—Sarah C. Schaefer, Artforum, 1 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for penal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for penal
Adjective
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Around Austin, bars have stepped up, building nonalcoholic menus that feel intentional, not punitive — and certainly not like a kid’s menu for adults.—
Ana Gutierrez,
Austin American Statesman,
6 Jan. 2026
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The Falcons could restructure Cousins’ deal, but that would only add more possible punitive effects in the future.—
Josh Kendall,
New York Times,
5 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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According to the release, these activities threaten the safety of correctional staff, inmates, and the public.—
Christopher Harris,
CBS News,
8 Jan. 2026
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While a correctional officer was proctoring an exam that counted toward Hanson’s master’s degree, Hanson was thinking about USC.—
Haley Sawyer,
Oc Register,
8 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Penal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/penal. Accessed 9 Jan. 2026.
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