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
These have sparked a sharp decline in the U.S. dollar versus the euro that, together with its punitive regime of tariffs, darkens the outlook for the export-reliant carmaker.
—
Christiaan Hetzner, Fortune, 21 July 2025
Yet our justice system treats them all the same, with inflexible, punitive responses that disproportionately harm Black youth, as former Secretary of Juvenile Services Vincent Schiraldi noted upon his resignation.
—Olivia Naugle, Baltimore Sun, 19 July 2025
In response, the city-county council is considering extending the curfew for youth and adding punitive fines for parents whose kids violate curfew.
—Kayla Dwyer, IndyStar, 16 July 2025
Policing doesn’t even accomplish its punitive agenda successfully–University of Utah professor of law Shima Baradaran found the conviction rates after an arrest was less than two percent per year.
—Sandy Hudson, refinery29.com, 9 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for punitive
Christiaan Hetzner, Fortune, 21 July 2025
Yet our justice system treats them all the same, with inflexible, punitive responses that disproportionately harm Black youth, as former Secretary of Juvenile Services Vincent Schiraldi noted upon his resignation.
—Olivia Naugle, Baltimore Sun, 19 July 2025
In response, the city-county council is considering extending the curfew for youth and adding punitive fines for parents whose kids violate curfew.
—Kayla Dwyer, IndyStar, 16 July 2025
Policing doesn’t even accomplish its punitive agenda successfully–University of Utah professor of law Shima Baradaran found the conviction rates after an arrest was less than two percent per year.
—Sandy Hudson, refinery29.com, 9 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for punitive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for punitive
Adjective
-
Iran’s Islamic Republic government likely will block it because, aside from Panahi’s outspoken stance against its stranglehold on democracy that has landed him in prison twice, the film is highly critical of Iran’s penal system on the back of the director’s own firsthand experiences.—
Pete Hammond,
Deadline,
25 June 2025
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In the report on El Salvador, whose penal system has become a dumping ground for migrants deported from the United States, there will be no details on the conditions in those prisons.—
Gal Beckerman,
The Atlantic,
1 May 2025
Adjective
-
These professionals must develop grading systems, track analytics and guide corrective actions.—
Hayley Bakker,
Forbes.com,
23 July 2025
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People who don't know what the problem is cannot take any corrective action.—
Meredith Wilshere,
People.com,
20 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Punitive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/punitive. Accessed 7 Aug. 2025.
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