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
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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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of penalty
The higher that yield, the worse that penalty is.
—
Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 7 June 2026
Les Bleus have reached the past two finals, beating Croatia at Russia 2018 and losing to Argentina in a penalty shootout at Qatar 2022.
—Esteban Campanela, CNN Money, 7 June 2026
Fellow Mercedes driver George Russell, his closest rival for the championship, finished out of the points after his team failed to properly execute a five-second time penalty — a mistake that resulted in an even harsher sanction and dropped him to the back of the grid.
—Sahil Kapur, NBC news, 7 June 2026
The legislation would also allow renters to terminate a lease without penalties if undisclosed fees are later imposed.
—Kenny Choi, CBS News, 6 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for penalty
Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 7 June 2026
Les Bleus have reached the past two finals, beating Croatia at Russia 2018 and losing to Argentina in a penalty shootout at Qatar 2022.
—Esteban Campanela, CNN Money, 7 June 2026
Fellow Mercedes driver George Russell, his closest rival for the championship, finished out of the points after his team failed to properly execute a five-second time penalty — a mistake that resulted in an even harsher sanction and dropped him to the back of the grid.
—Sahil Kapur, NBC news, 7 June 2026
The legislation would also allow renters to terminate a lease without penalties if undisclosed fees are later imposed.
—Kenny Choi, CBS News, 6 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for penalty
Recent Examples of Synonyms for penalty
Noun
-
Each count carries a maximum sentence of life in prison and a $10-million fine.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
2 June 2026
-
Penalties for exceeding the cap included fines or loss of draft picks.—
Maury Brown,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2026
Noun
-
There are other interesting twists to the original story that highlight different parts of the themes of crime, punishment, family and responsibility.—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
4 June 2026
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Therefore, a second execution would not violate the prohibition on double jeopardy or on the imposition of cruel punishment.—
Austin Sarat,
The Conversation,
4 June 2026
Noun
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Similar to how van Gisbergen debuted on a brand-new NASCAR circuit, thereby negating some of the disadvantages that come with racing in a series for the first time, Magnussen will have the same opportunity at San Diego.—
Jordan Bianchi,
New York Times,
3 June 2026
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Soon, multiplexes emerged, which put the Westwood Village location at a disadvantage.—
Cerys Davies,
Los Angeles Times,
3 June 2026
Noun
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After an eight-week trial, a jury on Wednesday awarded the boys’ parents, Nancy and Karim Iskander, and their younger brother, Zachary, $176 million in wrongful death and emotional distress damages.—
Richard Winton,
Los Angeles Times,
4 June 2026
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Braun urged the jury to start at zero and go from there when computing any damages.—
City News Service,
Daily News,
3 June 2026
Noun
-
Backup Spurs center Luke Kornet’s minutes have offered an opening this series — mostly a break from Wembanyama’s wrath.—
Joel Lorenzi,
New York Times,
29 May 2026
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There are the victims, their families, and lives left shattered because of a single person’s vicious wrath.—
Boston Herald editorial staff,
Boston Herald,
20 May 2026
Noun
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That's because the cost of jet fuel — which can account for about 30% of airlines' total expenses — has soared during the war.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
4 June 2026
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The caller told them a family member had been detained, which was untrue, and demanded money for legal expenses.—
Kassia Bonesteel,
CBS News,
4 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Penalty.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/penalty. Accessed 9 Jun. 2026.
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