as in penalizes
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 punishes
Then punishes him by icing him for weeks by not responding to his contacting her.
—
R. Eric Thomas, Denver Post, 22 Jan. 2026
The puzzle of why Washington punishes allies, or even potentially friendly states such as India or Brazil, is thus easily explained.
—Pratap Bhanu Mehta, Time, 15 Jan. 2026
Fret about finding ways to score and the offense punishes you.
—Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 10 Jan. 2026
The ice punishes the slightest miscalculations, demands the sharpest of focus.
—Marcus Thompson Ii, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026
The scene came in a fictional segment parodying Ayn Rand's The Fountainhead in which Maggie defends her architectural talents after her daycare teacher punishes her for making beautiful structures from building blocks.
—Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 31 Dec. 2025
Moscow rarely punishes its soldiers in Ukraine for committing crimes, portraying them as national heroes at home.
—CBS News, 8 Dec. 2025
Krampus is a fabled goat-like figure that punishes naughty children with lashings, sometimes kidnapping them from their homes, according to the Encyclopedia Britannica.
—Angelika Ytuarte, jsonline.com, 5 Dec. 2025
One spectacular sequence, a descent into caves, punishes you for using your stronger but louder armaments, like missiles, by summoning more enemies.
—PC Magazine, 2 Dec. 2025
R. Eric Thomas, Denver Post, 22 Jan. 2026
The puzzle of why Washington punishes allies, or even potentially friendly states such as India or Brazil, is thus easily explained.
—Pratap Bhanu Mehta, Time, 15 Jan. 2026
Fret about finding ways to score and the offense punishes you.
—Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 10 Jan. 2026
The ice punishes the slightest miscalculations, demands the sharpest of focus.
—Marcus Thompson Ii, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026
The scene came in a fictional segment parodying Ayn Rand's The Fountainhead in which Maggie defends her architectural talents after her daycare teacher punishes her for making beautiful structures from building blocks.
—Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 31 Dec. 2025
Moscow rarely punishes its soldiers in Ukraine for committing crimes, portraying them as national heroes at home.
—CBS News, 8 Dec. 2025
Krampus is a fabled goat-like figure that punishes naughty children with lashings, sometimes kidnapping them from their homes, according to the Encyclopedia Britannica.
—Angelika Ytuarte, jsonline.com, 5 Dec. 2025
One spectacular sequence, a descent into caves, punishes you for using your stronger but louder armaments, like missiles, by summoning more enemies.
—PC Magazine, 2 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for punishes
Verb
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The picture shows a workforce under strain, marked by anxiety taking earned time off, cultural pressure that penalizes caregiving responsibilities and workplace norms that quietly discourage flexibility rather than protect it.—
Bryan Robinson,
Forbes.com,
19 Jan. 2026
-
Taboo Words This game penalizes players who say the wrong words.—
Mary Alice Russell,
Southern Living,
28 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Watchdog Fintrac fines crypto exchange Cryptomus some $126 million for failing to flag potentially criminal transactions.—
Andrew Nusca,
Fortune,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Continue reading … NEWSROOM REVOLT – Tensions rise at '60 Minutes' as Scott Pelley reportedly criticizes Bari Weiss.—
,
FOXNews.com,
21 Jan. 2026
-
Inuit council criticizes White House statements The dispute is looming large in the lives of Greenlanders.—
Daniel Niemann,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Jan. 2026
Verb
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As Dexter questions why Batista’s death hurts so much, Brian chastises his brother for listening to Harry too much.—
Nick Caruso,
TVLine,
5 Sep. 2025
-
Red Jacob chastises Colum for not healing quickly enough.—
Lincee Ray Published,
EW.com,
15 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Given that, Ake sentences her to a rehabilitation camp and separates her from her young son, Caleb.—
Joe Otterson,
Variety,
16 Jan. 2026
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Williams was able to petition for resentencing due to a law enacted in 2011 that allowed judges to give juvenile offenders with life without parole sentences a chance to be resentenced.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
If a fast, irregular rhythm is recognized, the device corrects it by sending a small electrical signal, according to a news release.—
Ciara McCarthy,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
22 Jan. 2026
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If the sale does go through, the administration can still use its enforcement powers to make sure any new owner corrects open violations and adheres to rent-stabilization laws.—
Clio Chang,
Curbed,
15 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Punishes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/punishes. Accessed 28 Jan. 2026.
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