as in penalties
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 punishments
The directive repealed federal guidance that schools work to avoid racial disparities in school punishments.
—
Stacker, Hartford Courant, 9 May 2026
Kim, who took power in 1946, reframed Christianity as a symptom of American imperialism and repurposed its rituals with himself at the center, instituting requirements for ideological activities and imposing harsh punishments on those who failed to show sufficient devotion.
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
Those examples from this school year fit into a pattern of fraternity hazing, investigations and punishments that have played out repeatedly in recent years.
—Matthew Kelly
april 23, Kansas City Star, 23 Apr. 2026
The women’s rulings are among the latest in a series of punishments issued amid a broader government crackdown on dissent.
—Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 22 Apr. 2026
Could harsher punishments for people creating excessive noise be the key to ensuring more peace and quiet?
—Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Apr. 2026
Some politicians said the punishments didn't go far enough.
—ABC News, 22 Apr. 2026
Same sentences for all The fates of the detainees are now being decided in mass trials, with anonymous judges handing down one-size-fit-all punishments to large groups of defendants following the proceedings via video-link from prison.
—CBS News, 21 Apr. 2026
Potential punishments included a reprimand or a censure, which serve as forms of public rebuke.
—Kevin Freking, Sun Sentinel, 21 Apr. 2026
Stacker, Hartford Courant, 9 May 2026
Kim, who took power in 1946, reframed Christianity as a symptom of American imperialism and repurposed its rituals with himself at the center, instituting requirements for ideological activities and imposing harsh punishments on those who failed to show sufficient devotion.
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
Those examples from this school year fit into a pattern of fraternity hazing, investigations and punishments that have played out repeatedly in recent years.
—Matthew Kelly
april 23, Kansas City Star, 23 Apr. 2026
The women’s rulings are among the latest in a series of punishments issued amid a broader government crackdown on dissent.
—Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 22 Apr. 2026
Could harsher punishments for people creating excessive noise be the key to ensuring more peace and quiet?
—Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Apr. 2026
Some politicians said the punishments didn't go far enough.
—ABC News, 22 Apr. 2026
Same sentences for all The fates of the detainees are now being decided in mass trials, with anonymous judges handing down one-size-fit-all punishments to large groups of defendants following the proceedings via video-link from prison.
—CBS News, 21 Apr. 2026
Potential punishments included a reprimand or a censure, which serve as forms of public rebuke.
—Kevin Freking, Sun Sentinel, 21 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for punishments
penalties
Noun
-
On April 28, a New Jersey federal court sentenced Purdue to pay criminal penalties totaling over $5 billion for its role fueling the opioid epidemic.—
Eduardo Cuevas,
USA Today,
1 May 2026
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But Ottawa was whistled for consecutive penalties in the final minute of the frame to hand Boston a chance to answer.—
Jason Cooke,
Boston Herald,
1 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Punishments.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/punishments. Accessed 9 May. 2026.
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