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
But Texas doesn’t have jurisdiction over how local school districts punish students who skip class as long as each district is consistent in its punishment, no matter the reason for a student’s absence, said Kevin O’Hanlon, an Austin attorney who specializes in education law.
—
Keri Heath, Austin American Statesman, 5 Feb. 2026
Routh's attorney suggested a 27-year sentence would be punishment enough for the crime citing no one was hurt in the melee, but prosecutors disagreed.
—Natalie Neysa Alund, USA Today, 4 Feb. 2026
The Dane may well share his captain’s frustration at the lack of January signings, but Romero surely cannot repeatedly publicly criticise Spurs and escape punishment.
—Jay Harris, New York Times, 3 Feb. 2026
Belarus has provided critical support to Russia in the war, prompting the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to hand down the same punishment to both nations.
—Rebecca Cohen, NBC news, 3 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for punishment
Keri Heath, Austin American Statesman, 5 Feb. 2026
Routh's attorney suggested a 27-year sentence would be punishment enough for the crime citing no one was hurt in the melee, but prosecutors disagreed.
—Natalie Neysa Alund, USA Today, 4 Feb. 2026
The Dane may well share his captain’s frustration at the lack of January signings, but Romero surely cannot repeatedly publicly criticise Spurs and escape punishment.
—Jay Harris, New York Times, 3 Feb. 2026
Belarus has provided critical support to Russia in the war, prompting the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to hand down the same punishment to both nations.
—Rebecca Cohen, NBC news, 3 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for punishment
Recent Examples of Synonyms for punishment
Noun
-
The child may use the money without penalty to help pay for college or buy a first home.—
Jeanne Sahadi,
CNN Money,
9 Feb. 2026
-
That first penalty was decisive and controversial.—
Sebastian Stafford-Bloor,
New York Times,
9 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
So up and over went Adebayo, and straight down upon Ware came Adebayo’s dunking wrath.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Instead, his minions, so afraid of earning his wrath, have remained quiet.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
9 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Punishment.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/punishment. Accessed 12 Feb. 2026.
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