1
as in fine
a sum of money to be paid as a punishment
the penalty for speeding is $10 for every mile over the speed limit
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in punishment
suffering, loss, or hardship imposed in response to a crime or offense
in some cases, the new penalties for drug offenses were harsher than those for violent crimes
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in disadvantage
the negative result caused by something that creates difficulty for achieving success
suffered the penalty of his decision to leave school without graduating
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of penalty
The penalty for those caught listening by German detector vans was deportation to a concentration camp.
—
Max Hastings, Twin Cities, 5 Apr. 2026
The struggling Geekie then took a tripping penalty but the B’s killed that one off, too.
—Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 5 Apr. 2026
The Canadiens rank sixth in NHL play serving 10 penalty minutes per game.
—ABC News, 5 Apr. 2026
Police Chief Scott Wahl said the penalty increases mandated by the proposition have changed the way his officers respond to criminal activity.
—Karen Kucher, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for penalty
Max Hastings, Twin Cities, 5 Apr. 2026
The struggling Geekie then took a tripping penalty but the B’s killed that one off, too.
—Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 5 Apr. 2026
The Canadiens rank sixth in NHL play serving 10 penalty minutes per game.
—ABC News, 5 Apr. 2026
Police Chief Scott Wahl said the penalty increases mandated by the proposition have changed the way his officers respond to criminal activity.
—Karen Kucher, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for penalty
Recent Examples of Synonyms for penalty
Noun
-
Two decades ago, Supermicro pleaded guilty to illegally exporting computer equipment to Iran, and paid fines to the Department of Justice, the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, and the Commerce Department.—
Amanda Gerut,
Fortune,
6 Apr. 2026
-
In addition to serving prison time, Bannon paid a $6,500 fine.—
Devin Dwyer,
ABC News,
6 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The jury will decide Horner’s punishment.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Ryobi is great for occasional-use, light-duty stuff that needs to work but doesn’t have to withstand eight-hour daily punishment on a job site.—
Andrew P. Collins,
The Drive,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
For decades, the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation has offered college scholarships to Black students who faced disadvantages from attending underfunded schools in majority-Black districts.—
Julian Mark,
Washington Post,
2 Apr. 2026
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Any disadvantage there may be in waiting a week or 10 days to get started on the portal is offset, probably outweighed, by the attention and excitement being built for BC basketball by their incoming coach’s presence on national TV, associated with a Final Four team.—
Dom Amore,
Hartford Courant,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The restaurant groups are now suing for more than $1 million in direct damages, as well as for punitive damages, attorneys' fees, and costs.—
Sara Tenenbaum,
CBS News,
8 Apr. 2026
-
Musk is seeking more than $150 billion in damages from OpenAI and Microsoft, arguing that OpenAI defrauded him as a donor by restructuring the business away from its nonprofit roots.—
Rachyl Jones,
semafor.com,
8 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The immediate object of Uthmeier’s wrath is the Rooney Rule, voluntarily adopted more than two decades ago by the NFL to ensure that minority candidates are interviewed for coaching positions.—
Howard L. Simon,
The Orlando Sentinel,
5 Apr. 2026
-
But in removing Zhang, Xi is sending a signal that no one is safe from his wrath.—
Michael Schuman,
The Atlantic,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The victim’s family launched an online fundraiser to help pay his funeral expenses.—
Colin Mixson,
New York Daily News,
10 Apr. 2026
-
One alderman who employs pension-eligible part-time staffers showed the Tribune ward expense reports from 2024 and 2025 that did not account for their pension costs.—
Alice Yin,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Penalty.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/penalty. Accessed 12 Apr. 2026.
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