punishment
noun
pun·ish·ment
ˈpə-nish-mənt 
1
: the act of punishing
2
a
: suffering, pain, or loss that serves as retribution
b
: a penalty inflicted on an offender through judicial procedure
3
: severe, rough, or disastrous treatment
Synonyms
Examples of punishment in a Sentence
I took away my daughter's car keys as a punishment for her bad behavior.
The punishments that the government has inflicted on the protesters are severe and unjust.
The punishment for murder is life imprisonment.
Some religions teach that wicked people will suffer eternal punishment in hell after they die.
Recent Examples on the Web
Sadly, that kind of electoral punishment for conservative intolerance at the ballot box hasn’t helped save academic freedom at New College.
—
Samantha Riedel, Them, 16 Aug. 2024
The school expressed regret that team members who did not participate and students planning to join the team this fall will suffer the same punishment as those involved.
—Homero De La Fuente, CNN, 15 Aug. 2024
Adding so much debt to a business would probably lead to more punishment from shareholders of Sportradar or Genius.
—Brendan Coffey, Sportico.com, 14 Aug. 2024
But the media and public accused him of weak party management, and in parliamentary by-elections in April, the LDP lost all three seats being contested in what was viewed as punishment by voters.
—Arata Yamamoto, NBC News, 14 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for punishment 
Samantha Riedel, Them, 16 Aug. 2024
The school expressed regret that team members who did not participate and students planning to join the team this fall will suffer the same punishment as those involved.
—Homero De La Fuente, CNN, 15 Aug. 2024
Adding so much debt to a business would probably lead to more punishment from shareholders of Sportradar or Genius.
—Brendan Coffey, Sportico.com, 14 Aug. 2024
But the media and public accused him of weak party management, and in parliamentary by-elections in April, the LDP lost all three seats being contested in what was viewed as punishment by voters.
—Arata Yamamoto, NBC News, 14 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for punishment
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'punishment.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near punishment
Cite this Entry
“Punishment.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/punishment. Accessed 28 Aug. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
punishment
noun
pun·ish·ment
ˈpən-ish-mənt
1
a
: the act of punishing
b
: the state or fact of being punished
persons undergoing punishment
2
: the penalty for a fault or crime
the punishment for robbery
3
: severe, rough, or disastrous treatment
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