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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of punishments
Some countries have laws administering what critics believe are cruel punishments or place undue restrictions on women and minorities.
—
Rachel Royster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 Mar. 2026
Georgia lawmakers have approved a bill creating more legal punishments for protesters and others who obstruct the state's streets and highways.
—Dan Raby, CBS News, 24 Mar. 2026
Nothing might seem to have longer odds in deep-red Oklahoma than an effort to lessen punishments for violent crimes, but overcrowded prisons and rising costs were already forcing a rethinking of harsh, decades-old sentencing laws.
—Pamela Colloff, ProPublica, 24 Mar. 2026
But none of these events, which many women faced in Anglo‑Saxon England, were failures or punishments in the ritual.
—Literary Hub, 18 Mar. 2026
Smart did not specify what the punishments for Cole and Ikinnagbon would be.
—Connor Riley, AJC.com, 17 Mar. 2026
The family challenged these unfair punishments.
—Jack Birle, The Washington Examiner, 11 Mar. 2026
The fight While punishments for people who've caused fatal crashes while high have varied wildly from state to state, Resecker's sentence stands out for being unusually tough, especially given his young age, according to a USA TODAY review of similar cases.
—Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 10 Mar. 2026
Don't present them as burdens, sacrifices or punishments.
—Michaeleen Doucleff, NPR, 9 Mar. 2026
Rachel Royster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 Mar. 2026
Georgia lawmakers have approved a bill creating more legal punishments for protesters and others who obstruct the state's streets and highways.
—Dan Raby, CBS News, 24 Mar. 2026
Nothing might seem to have longer odds in deep-red Oklahoma than an effort to lessen punishments for violent crimes, but overcrowded prisons and rising costs were already forcing a rethinking of harsh, decades-old sentencing laws.
—Pamela Colloff, ProPublica, 24 Mar. 2026
But none of these events, which many women faced in Anglo‑Saxon England, were failures or punishments in the ritual.
—Literary Hub, 18 Mar. 2026
Smart did not specify what the punishments for Cole and Ikinnagbon would be.
—Connor Riley, AJC.com, 17 Mar. 2026
The family challenged these unfair punishments.
—Jack Birle, The Washington Examiner, 11 Mar. 2026
The fight While punishments for people who've caused fatal crashes while high have varied wildly from state to state, Resecker's sentence stands out for being unusually tough, especially given his young age, according to a USA TODAY review of similar cases.
—Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 10 Mar. 2026
Don't present them as burdens, sacrifices or punishments.
—Michaeleen Doucleff, NPR, 9 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for punishments
penalties
Noun
-
Police are urging anyone with information to contact investigators, emphasizing that underage individuals who were drinking will not face penalties for coming forward.—
Jamie Leary,
CBS News,
28 Mar. 2026
-
Some of the best personal lenders offer fast funding, no prepayment penalties and flexible credit score requirements.—
Jasmin Suknanan,
CNBC,
28 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Punishments.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/punishments. Accessed 29 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
