as in correctional
inflicting, involving, or serving as punishment
any misbehavior was immediately met with a punitive response the company had to pay a million dollars in punitive damages
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Recent Examples of punitive
With the exception of the punitive visit to the bank, Suzanna’s grandmother does not discuss her daughter’s crime or her reasons for committing it.
—
James Wood, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
Resources must be directed toward real, voluntary support, such as housing, treatment and wraparound services, rather than punitive measures.
—Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Oc Register, 4 May 2026
The union picked up $50,000 from United Teachers Los Angeles and another $50,000 from Smart Justice California, a group focused on less punitive public safety strategies.
—Los Angeles Times, 2 May 2026
And consequences shouldn’t be punitive.
—Krista Spurgin, Denver Post, 29 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for punitive
James Wood, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
Resources must be directed toward real, voluntary support, such as housing, treatment and wraparound services, rather than punitive measures.
—Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Oc Register, 4 May 2026
The union picked up $50,000 from United Teachers Los Angeles and another $50,000 from Smart Justice California, a group focused on less punitive public safety strategies.
—Los Angeles Times, 2 May 2026
And consequences shouldn’t be punitive.
—Krista Spurgin, Denver Post, 29 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for punitive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for punitive
Adjective
-
The arrest document said Regina Cantrell is a Johnson County correctional officer.—
Marvin Hurst,
CBS News,
6 May 2026
-
Wilske’s complaint questioned why the police officers didn’t request additional information from dispatch, especially since one of the correctional officers was on an open line with dispatch when Anderson shot Wilske.—
Alex Brizee,
Idaho Statesman,
5 May 2026
Adjective
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The charges included seven counts of falsifying a record and one felony count of abuse of a resident of a penal facility.—
Nichole Manna,
ProPublica,
28 Apr. 2026
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In the new South, one scrabbling to industrialize, business owners could now hire unpaid labor through the penal system.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
26 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Still, without corrective action, city staff warned those funds could drop if no changes are made to current spending and revenues to roughly 2% by June 2027, falling below the city’s policy on maintaining a 10% minimum in reserves in case of unexpected costs or revenue shortfalls.—
Mona Darwish,
Oc Register,
1 May 2026
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When the town select board made the decision to euthanize, Millis Animal Control Officer Erin Mallette told them her recommendation was for a statute of six corrective measures such as a muzzle and restraints.—
Mike Sullivan,
CBS News,
1 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Punitive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/punitive. Accessed 10 May. 2026.
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