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
Yet instead of addressing the lawsuit, the mayor is now going a step further, threatening to raise taxes inside the same broken structure that punishes working‑class communities.
—
Arthur Russell, New York Daily News, 20 Feb. 2026
That staunch support takes on extra significance in a hyper-competitive country that often only rewards top winners and punishes those who fall short.
—Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 19 Feb. 2026
Let’s make an energy policy that serves the people of Maryland, not punishes them.
—Justin Ready, Baltimore Sun, 15 Feb. 2026
The league now punishes teams for improperly holding players out with big fines.
—Zach Harper, New York Times, 11 Feb. 2026
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
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
Arthur Russell, New York Daily News, 20 Feb. 2026
That staunch support takes on extra significance in a hyper-competitive country that often only rewards top winners and punishes those who fall short.
—Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 19 Feb. 2026
Let’s make an energy policy that serves the people of Maryland, not punishes them.
—Justin Ready, Baltimore Sun, 15 Feb. 2026
The league now punishes teams for improperly holding players out with big fines.
—Zach Harper, New York Times, 11 Feb. 2026
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
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for punishes
Verb
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By taxing those inputs, the policy effectively penalizes domestic production.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
19 Feb. 2026
-
But because the ban penalizes corporations, not consumers who break the rules, ban-repeal advocates may have a harder time drawing a coalition of cross-partisan support.—
Keith Humphreys,
The Atlantic,
2 Feb. 2026
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
-
Whatley outlines public safety priorities, criticizes Cooper Beyond the specific proposal, Whatley said public safety would be a central focus of his Senate campaign and potential term in office.—
Nora O'Neill,
Charlotte Observer,
4 Mar. 2026
-
Quintanilla criticizes opponents Johnson and Allred for wealth, stock trades, and immigration votes, positioning himself as a candidate who prioritizes immigrant families, small businesses, drug rehabilitation, senior relief, and local development programs.—
S.E. Jenkins,
CBS News,
26 Feb. 2026
Verb
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When a stranger chastises them for not wearing hijabs in public, Pari and Hanna can barely manage to stifle a laugh.—
David Ehrlich,
IndieWire,
28 Jan. 2026
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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
Verb
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The Seoul Central District Court sentences Yoon to five years in prison for resisting arrest and fabricating the martial law proclamation, the first verdict against Yoon.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
19 Feb. 2026
-
Her sentences themselves have a cartilaginous magic.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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In this scenario, stripped of high-paying salaries, prime borrowers default and tank the $13 trillion residential mortgage market, unemployment spikes above 10%, the stock market corrects down 38%, and the economy collapses into a deflationary spiral.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
28 Feb. 2026
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The answer is a combination of ingredients that corrects, prevents, and protects—not to mention the affordable price point.—
Erika Reals,
InStyle,
27 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Punishes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/punishes. Accessed 9 Mar. 2026.
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