as in to punish
to inflict a penalty on for a fault or crime
the player was penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct
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Recent Examples of penalize
Cell phones in work zones Senate Bill 366 cracks down on distracted driving by penalizing motorists who use cell phones in construction and school zones.
—
Matthew Kelly
july 1,
Kansas City Star,
1 July 2026
Meanwhile, median household income has remained broadly flat over the same period, a dynamic that has primarily penalized younger prospective homebuyers.
—
Tristan Bove,
Fortune,
30 June 2026
Politicians are notoriously bad at long-term budgeting, and the current system does not penalize them for taking advantage of reserves set aside by more prudent administrations.
—
Phillip Molnar,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
25 June 2026
The sheriff’s office said the incidents in question proved that internal checks strengthened by court orders were working properly, and that the monitor was penalizing the department for following those orders and policies.
—
Rafael Carranza,
ProPublica,
25 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for penalize
Matthew Kelly
july 1,
Kansas City Star,
1 July 2026
Meanwhile, median household income has remained broadly flat over the same period, a dynamic that has primarily penalized younger prospective homebuyers.
—
Tristan Bove,
Fortune,
30 June 2026
Politicians are notoriously bad at long-term budgeting, and the current system does not penalize them for taking advantage of reserves set aside by more prudent administrations.
—
Phillip Molnar,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
25 June 2026
The sheriff’s office said the incidents in question proved that internal checks strengthened by court orders were working properly, and that the monitor was penalizing the department for following those orders and policies.
—
Rafael Carranza,
ProPublica,
25 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for penalize
Recent Examples of Synonyms for penalize
punish
Verb
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Americans across the nation are being asked (or ordered) to conserve water, thanks to widespread drought made even worse by a punishing heat wave.
-
Congress cannot diminish their pay to punish an unpopular decision.
Cite this Entry
“Penalize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/penalize. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
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