as in punitive
inflicting, involving, or serving as punishment
forced to listen to a penalizing lecture on the consequences of lying
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in punishing
to inflict a penalty on for a fault or crime
the player was penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of penalizing
Cynthia Pong, Forbes.com, 24 Aug. 2025
That delay reflects the high stakes and complex constitutional questions surrounding the case, which has been viewed as a test of how far state officials can go in penalizing corporate misconduct.
—Gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Aug. 2025
Ohio lawmakers debated everything from home grow restrictions to penalizing passengers who smoke in the car.
—Haley Bemiller, The Enquirer, 17 Aug. 2025
The fairway bunkers are quite penalizing with the big lips.
—Timothy Dashiell, Baltimore Sun, 15 Aug. 2025
Governments typically only make money when penalizing those who break the rules.
—Diane Brady, Fortune, 12 Aug. 2025
Verb
Flexibility alone isn’t enough—promotion criteria must avoid penalizing remote or hybrid workers and career pathways should accommodate different life and caregiving stages without stalling advancement.
—Cynthia Pong, Forbes.com, 24 Aug. 2025
That delay reflects the high stakes and complex constitutional questions surrounding the case, which has been viewed as a test of how far state officials can go in penalizing corporate misconduct.
—Gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Aug. 2025
Ohio lawmakers debated everything from home grow restrictions to penalizing passengers who smoke in the car.
—Haley Bemiller, The Enquirer, 17 Aug. 2025
The fairway bunkers are quite penalizing with the big lips.
—Timothy Dashiell, Baltimore Sun, 15 Aug. 2025
Governments typically only make money when penalizing those who break the rules.
—Diane Brady, Fortune, 12 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for penalizing
Adjective
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The problem last season was many teams still opted to kick the ball in the end zone because the touchback wasn't punitive enough.—
Shane Croucher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 Sep. 2025
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Relief from punitive tax rules could fuel profitability, but only for those ready to meet the federal government’s new demands.—
Robert Hoban,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
Verb
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This is likely to prevent the bloc from punishing other nations for doing business with Moscow, when the EU does so too — albeit at a far lower level than before the Ukraine war began in 2022.—
Holly Ellyatt,
CNBC,
11 Sep. 2025
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But even this nod to forgiveness is relatively punishing, since the health refill freezes your character in a defenseless pose for a few seconds.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
11 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Penalizing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/penalizing. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
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