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
Fearing punishment for innie escape, Mark is instead received in the office as a hero.
—
James Poniewozik, New York Times, 16 Jan. 2025
The proposition won 68% of the vote, and walked back some of the features of Prop. 47, which voters passed a decade earlier to reduce punishments for non-violent crimes.
—Annika Merrilees, Sacramento Bee, 16 Jan. 2025
Harsh punishment for traumatized children took its toll.
—Jazzmin Jiwa, TIME, 16 Jan. 2025
Acerbic minds wondered whether inviting relatives to take in more football was a festive treat or mid-season punishment.
—Laurie Whitwell, The Athletic, 15 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for punishment 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
James Poniewozik, New York Times, 16 Jan. 2025
The proposition won 68% of the vote, and walked back some of the features of Prop. 47, which voters passed a decade earlier to reduce punishments for non-violent crimes.
—Annika Merrilees, Sacramento Bee, 16 Jan. 2025
Harsh punishment for traumatized children took its toll.
—Jazzmin Jiwa, TIME, 16 Jan. 2025
Acerbic minds wondered whether inviting relatives to take in more football was a festive treat or mid-season punishment.
—Laurie Whitwell, The Athletic, 15 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for punishment
Dictionary Entries Near punishment
Cite this Entry
“Punishment.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/punishment. Accessed 22 Jan. 2025.
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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share