as in penalized
to inflict a penalty on for a fault or crime
the child was punished for breaking dishes on purpose if caught, the thief will be severely punished
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Recent Examples of punished
Usually the pressure is on schools to make sure rules are not violated, but for Bylaw 600, schools can do everything right and still be punished for a player violating the rule on their own.
—
Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 28 Feb. 2026
The software giant’s stock had been punished lately on fears that AI is threating its business model.
—Natasha Abellard, CNBC, 26 Feb. 2026
But instead of getting yelled at, punished or kept at arm’s length, you are received with joy.
—Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 24 Feb. 2026
Your teen isn’t being punished.
—Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 23 Feb. 2026
Though there were speculations of it, she will not be punished by the International Olympic Committee.
—Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 22 Feb. 2026
These people are never punished.
—Steve Madeley, New York Times, 22 Feb. 2026
Defensive rotations lagged, second efforts were inconsistent and the Cavaliers repeatedly punished mismatches around the rim and along the perimeter.
—C.j. Holmes, New York Daily News, 20 Feb. 2026
The captain was punished with a transfer to a town where car number plates started with the letters OK and where people from far-off districts came to get their vehicles registered.
—Literary Hub, 20 Feb. 2026
Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 28 Feb. 2026
The software giant’s stock had been punished lately on fears that AI is threating its business model.
—Natasha Abellard, CNBC, 26 Feb. 2026
But instead of getting yelled at, punished or kept at arm’s length, you are received with joy.
—Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 24 Feb. 2026
Your teen isn’t being punished.
—Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 23 Feb. 2026
Though there were speculations of it, she will not be punished by the International Olympic Committee.
—Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 22 Feb. 2026
These people are never punished.
—Steve Madeley, New York Times, 22 Feb. 2026
Defensive rotations lagged, second efforts were inconsistent and the Cavaliers repeatedly punished mismatches around the rim and along the perimeter.
—C.j. Holmes, New York Daily News, 20 Feb. 2026
The captain was punished with a transfer to a town where car number plates started with the letters OK and where people from far-off districts came to get their vehicles registered.
—Literary Hub, 20 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for punished
Verb
-
Essentially they’ll be penalized for doing what front offices strive to achieve — drafting the right players and cultivating an environment that enhances their development.—
Fiifi Frimpong,
New York Daily News,
3 Mar. 2026
-
The match was in the balance at 22-18 in the last 10 minutes, before Braidon Burns was penalized for a high hit on Knights star Kalyn Ponga and was sent to the sin bin by referee Ashley Klein.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
1 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
In the book, rules that initially seem to make sense gradually shift — from getting fined for painting your house the wrong color to murder and blackmail.—
Chris Hewitt,
Boston Herald,
1 Mar. 2026
-
Three decades later, a company recycling the slag was fined $500,000 after exposing employees to elevated levels of arsenic, violating Occupational Safety and Health Administration standards.—
Sarah Henry,
AZCentral.com,
1 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Khan was sentenced Monday after San Joaquin Superior Court Judge Richard Mallett rejected his motion to withdraw his no contest plea in the criminal case, the San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Office announced Tuesday in a news release.—
Rosalio Ahumada,
Sacbee.com,
4 Mar. 2026
-
Combs was sentenced to 50 months after being convicted on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution in October 2025.—
Madeleine Marr,
Miami Herald,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Calls for accountability came after a Department of Justice report said there was credible evidence two other people may have also been involved in starting the fires, but that there was no evidence found to exonerate those convicted of the crime, including Brown.—
Kendrick Calfee,
Kansas City Star,
1 Mar. 2026
-
Between October 2022 and June 2024, 90 percent of participants in Tarrant County’s Youth Advocate Programs services were not adjudicated or convicted of a new charge while enrolled, and 100 percent stayed enrolled in school, graduated, or earned a GED, according to Youth Advocate Programs.—
Kamal Morgan,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
1 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
His selection could prove awkward, as the Islamic Republic has long criticized hereditary rule and cast itself as a more just alternative.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
2 Mar. 2026
-
That proposal had been praised by some neighborhood leaders who often oppose high-rise housing in or near single-family areas, but it was harshly criticized by leaders of the development and business community.—
David Garrick,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
2 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Nowak was later disciplined by Harvard.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
26 Feb. 2026
-
Many schools cautioned families that students could be disciplined for the types of protest activities that state officials did not condone.—
Jeffrey S. Solochek,
Sun Sentinel,
25 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Safer road design should be celebrated, not chastised.—
Letters To The Editor,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
2 Mar. 2026
-
When her research contradicted the premise, she was chastised for failing to come up with enough evidence.—
Jonathan Blitzer,
New Yorker,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
This story has been corrected to say there were 14 injuries.—
Emiliano Tahui Gómez,
Austin American Statesman,
1 Mar. 2026
-
This story has been corrected in second paragraph to show Yamal is aged 18 not 17.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
28 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Punished.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/punished. Accessed 6 Mar. 2026.
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