punitive damages

plural noun

: damages awarded in excess of compensation to the plaintiff to punish a defendant for a serious wrong

Examples of punitive damages in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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The family seeks a trial and is suing for compensatory damages, punitive damages and attorneys' fees. Erin Glynn, The Enquirer, 14 July 2025 After a 5 1/2 week trial, the jury returned verdicts against the camp for compensatory and punitive damages totaling more than $16.2 million. Michael Loria, USA Today, 8 July 2025 The jury voted 10-2 to award punitive damages against Spitzer. Salvador Hernandez, Los Angeles Times, 5 June 2025 If the case goes to trial, LaBella and her attorneys are asking the jury to determine any potential punitive damages. Katie Kilkenny, HollywoodReporter, 27 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for punitive damages

Word History

First Known Use

1858, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of punitive damages was in 1858

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Cite this Entry

“Punitive damages.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/punitive%20damages. Accessed 22 Jul. 2025.

Legal Definition

punitive damages

see damage sense 2

More from Merriam-Webster on punitive damages

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