as in penalty
suffering, loss, or hardship imposed in response to a crime or offense
he is serving five years in prison as punishment for aggravated assault
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Recent Examples of punishment
What’s the punishment for indecent exposure?
—
Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 26 Feb. 2026
The county Department of Consumer and Business Affairs relied on cease-and-desist letters and warning notices and not as much on financial recovery for tenants or punishment against rent gougers, the report concluded.
—Steve Scauzillo, Daily News, 25 Feb. 2026
Fisher, for one, was cited for a major campus disruption on par with making a bomb threat, receiving a three-day out-of-school suspension — a punishment his family immediately challenged.
—Jeffrey S. Solochek, Sun Sentinel, 25 Feb. 2026
Enhancements result in harsher punishments for the charges, such as extra prison time.
—Tracy Brown, Los Angeles Times, 25 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for punishment
Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 26 Feb. 2026
The county Department of Consumer and Business Affairs relied on cease-and-desist letters and warning notices and not as much on financial recovery for tenants or punishment against rent gougers, the report concluded.
—Steve Scauzillo, Daily News, 25 Feb. 2026
Fisher, for one, was cited for a major campus disruption on par with making a bomb threat, receiving a three-day out-of-school suspension — a punishment his family immediately challenged.
—Jeffrey S. Solochek, Sun Sentinel, 25 Feb. 2026
Enhancements result in harsher punishments for the charges, such as extra prison time.
—Tracy Brown, Los Angeles Times, 25 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for punishment
Recent Examples of Synonyms for punishment
Noun
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The posts often link to unofficial preparation services that collect your personal information — or encourage filing claims that can trigger audits and penalties.—
Ken Colburn,
AZCentral.com,
1 Mar. 2026
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The Patriots advanced to the final by winning a penalty-kick shootout against Fort Walton Beach 2-1 (4-3 PKs), with junior goalie Alex Vanhaeren saved two PKs.—
Gary Curreri,
Sun Sentinel,
1 Mar. 2026
Noun
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But questions swirled about if even that would survive nature’s wrath for two-and-a-half centuries.—
Karissa Waddick,
USA Today,
26 Feb. 2026
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Two machine-gunners who escaped the wrath of the previous planes.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
25 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Punishment.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/punishment. Accessed 4 Mar. 2026.
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