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
Ellis was seeking punitive and other damages that included medical expenses for a scratch on her face.
—
Elizabeth Wagmeister, CNN Money, 2 Sep. 2025
No punitive action is to be taken against the animal, as there was no indication that the bear was behaving more aggressively than usual.
—Owen Clarke, Outside, 29 Aug. 2025
The effort to deal with the emerging humanitarian crisis, officials say, was complicated by a president who felt a deep responsibility to Israel and its security, and the question of whether or not to openly confront Israel or use punitive measures, like withholding military aid.
—Tom Bowman, NPR, 28 Aug. 2025
Through Angela, Fauset crafts an incisive exploration of racial performance, autonomy, and the often punitive structures of desire.
—Glory Edim
august 27, Literary Hub, 27 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for punitive
Elizabeth Wagmeister, CNN Money, 2 Sep. 2025
No punitive action is to be taken against the animal, as there was no indication that the bear was behaving more aggressively than usual.
—Owen Clarke, Outside, 29 Aug. 2025
The effort to deal with the emerging humanitarian crisis, officials say, was complicated by a president who felt a deep responsibility to Israel and its security, and the question of whether or not to openly confront Israel or use punitive measures, like withholding military aid.
—Tom Bowman, NPR, 28 Aug. 2025
Through Angela, Fauset crafts an incisive exploration of racial performance, autonomy, and the often punitive structures of desire.
—Glory Edim
august 27, Literary Hub, 27 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for punitive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for punitive
Adjective
-
Typically, youth held there are awaiting court hearings, being held on dispositional or correctional orders, or participating in the county's Accountability Program.—
Vanessa Swales,
jsonline.com,
8 Sep. 2025
-
But the Idaho Department of Correction aims to limit direct participation from correctional officers, agency spokesperson Blake Lopez told the Idaho Statesman.—
Kevin Fixler,
Idaho Statesman,
2 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Former warden Randall Hepp and eight other workers at Waupun were charged with misconduct in office and abuse of residents of a penal facility related to the deaths of Maier and another prisoner.—
Vanessa Swales,
jsonline.com,
20 Aug. 2025
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Joshua Anderson, who worked at Northeast Correctional Complex in Mountain City until February 2024, was indicted in September on charges of bringing contraband into a penal facility, official misconduct and bribery of a public servant.—
Evan Mealins,
The Tennessean,
10 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
By integrating tariff data with sales performance, market trends, and regulatory frameworks, Rensi can pinpoint inefficiencies, detect policy misalignments, and recommend corrective actions—ranging from renegotiating supplier terms to adjusting pricing strategies.—
Nish Acharya,
Forbes.com,
12 Sep. 2025
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Restaurants that receive more than 30 demerits are required to immediately fix the most critical violations and start corrective procedures on all the other violations within 48 hours.—
Harriet Ramos,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
12 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Punitive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/punitive. Accessed 15 Sep. 2025.
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