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
Companies could now face serious penalties, with charges including tariff avoidance that earn violators up to 20 years in prison.
—
Kate Nishimura, Sourcing Journal, 30 July 2025
Andrew Harnik/Getty Images What To Know Trump said on Truth Social that since India buys a large amount of military equipment from Russia, India will face the 25 percent tariff and penalty.
—Suzanne Blake, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 July 2025
For all her obvious abilities between the sticks, there is also the conviction to step up and take a penalty herself.
—Megan Feringa, New York Times, 20 July 2025
If not, the Cowboys have the right to issue a penalty.
—Justin Grasso, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for penalty
Kate Nishimura, Sourcing Journal, 30 July 2025
Andrew Harnik/Getty Images What To Know Trump said on Truth Social that since India buys a large amount of military equipment from Russia, India will face the 25 percent tariff and penalty.
—Suzanne Blake, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 July 2025
For all her obvious abilities between the sticks, there is also the conviction to step up and take a penalty herself.
—Megan Feringa, New York Times, 20 July 2025
If not, the Cowboys have the right to issue a penalty.
—Justin Grasso, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for penalty
Recent Examples of Synonyms for penalty
Noun
-
Busey faces between one to five years of probation and fines, and has agreed not to contact the woman.—
Cheyenne Roundtree,
Rolling Stone,
1 Aug. 2025
-
Any company found to be frustrating the cancellation process could face significant fines—perhaps more than $50,000 per violation.—
Ashley Belanger,
ArsTechnica,
31 July 2025
Noun
-
Even many diehard Trump supporters grimaced, fearful of punishment at the polls.—
Eric Cortellessa,
Time,
7 Aug. 2025
-
In addition to a 25% tariff set to go into effect Thursday, Trump also announced a 25% tariff on India that will go into effect later this month as punishment for importing Russian oil and gas.—
Kevin Liptak,
CNN Money,
7 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
However, the sun shone brightly soon after, leaving teams like Red Bull, which had opted for a wet-weather setup on its car, at a disadvantage.—
Saajan Jogia,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Aug. 2025
-
For example, a small furniture maker in Tennessee can potentially compete with European manufacturers in their local markets without the tariff disadvantage.—
John Hall,
Forbes.com,
30 July 2025
Noun
-
Countries that didn’t knuckle under — and those that found other ways to incur Trump’s wrath — got hit harder.—
Paul Wiseman,
Fortune,
3 Aug. 2025
-
Many of those people have met the $2 billion organization’s wrath.—
Kenny Jacoby,
USA Today,
1 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
This is in sharp contrast to the effort and expense involved in seeing a human therapist.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
8 Aug. 2025
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Organizers have also set aside $5 million to put towards player expenses, including a $1,000 travel stipend for each player and two hotel rooms at the official player hotel (or $600 per day for staying at alternative accommodation).—
George Ramsay,
CNN Money,
7 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Penalty.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/penalty. Accessed 15 Aug. 2025.
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