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
Judges who have reviewed the cases have already temporarily blocked enforcement of the executive orders' punitive measures.
—
Ryan Lucas, NPR, 13 Apr. 2025
In addition, Rome had inflicted atrocities and punitive measures upon Jews after insurgencies – further motivating Jesus’ followers to distance themselves.
—Nathanael Andrade, The Conversation, 11 Apr. 2025
Getty Images Many companies had been steadily reducing their reliance on China as a manufacturing hub since President Donald Trump's first term, hoping to blunt the impact of punitive levies from the United States.
—Dylan Butts,anniek Bao, CNBC, 9 Apr. 2025
Wall Street had been on edge, looking for any sign that Trump might shift his approach to his punitive tariffs.
—John Towfighi, David Goldman and Anna Cooban, CNN Money, 9 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for punitive
Ryan Lucas, NPR, 13 Apr. 2025
In addition, Rome had inflicted atrocities and punitive measures upon Jews after insurgencies – further motivating Jesus’ followers to distance themselves.
—Nathanael Andrade, The Conversation, 11 Apr. 2025
Getty Images Many companies had been steadily reducing their reliance on China as a manufacturing hub since President Donald Trump's first term, hoping to blunt the impact of punitive levies from the United States.
—Dylan Butts,anniek Bao, CNBC, 9 Apr. 2025
Wall Street had been on edge, looking for any sign that Trump might shift his approach to his punitive tariffs.
—John Towfighi, David Goldman and Anna Cooban, CNN Money, 9 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for punitive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for punitive
Adjective
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Convicted in London for conducting clandestine marriages, Grierson was sentenced to 14 years of penal servitude in the American Colonies.—
Alexandra Cox,
Smithsonian Magazine,
10 Mar. 2025
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Now they are imprisoned in El Salvador, according to their families, who have been left in the dark about their fates in a penal system widely condemned for human rights abuses.—
Patrick J. McDonnell,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
An Optometrist provides vision care, prescribes corrective lenses, and detects eye diseases.—
Jack Kelly,
Forbes.com,
24 Apr. 2025
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In the third episode of the show, Mickey Rourke directed homophobic language at Siwa, along with what appeared be a joke about corrective rape.—
Mikelle Street,
Them.,
23 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Punitive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/punitive. Accessed 6 May. 2025.
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