1
as in fine
a sum of money to be paid as a punishment
the penalty for speeding is $10 for every mile over the speed limit
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in punishment
suffering, loss, or hardship imposed in response to a crime or offense
in some cases, the new penalties for drug offenses were harsher than those for violent crimes
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in disadvantage
the negative result caused by something that creates difficulty for achieving success
suffered the penalty of his decision to leave school without graduating
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of penalty
Zentner ranked seventh of goalkeepers for the total number of defensive actions outside his penalty area last season.
—
Beren Cross, New York Times, 7 July 2025
The agency enforces a zero-tolerance policy for unruly conduct, carrying the potential for civil penalties and criminal charges, depending on the incident severity.
—Hollie Silverman, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 July 2025
The stewards noted the controversial incident and hit the McLaren driver with the penalty that cost him the race.
—Issy Ronald, CNN Money, 6 July 2025
There’s no legitimate reason businesses need to be shelling out money for lawyers and civil penalties over such things.
—The Editorial Board, Oc Register, 25 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for penalty
Beren Cross, New York Times, 7 July 2025
The agency enforces a zero-tolerance policy for unruly conduct, carrying the potential for civil penalties and criminal charges, depending on the incident severity.
—Hollie Silverman, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 July 2025
The stewards noted the controversial incident and hit the McLaren driver with the penalty that cost him the race.
—Issy Ronald, CNN Money, 6 July 2025
There’s no legitimate reason businesses need to be shelling out money for lawyers and civil penalties over such things.
—The Editorial Board, Oc Register, 25 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for penalty
Recent Examples of Synonyms for penalty
Noun
-
Anyone found in violation of the measure could have to pay the state as much as $10,000 in fines.—
Jeremy Gorner,
Chicago Tribune,
7 July 2025
-
Apple has now formally appealed one of its latest fines in Europe connected to its digital marketplace.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
7 July 2025
Noun
-
Mackenzie sued, arguing that under the Constitution, her American birth gave her citizenship as a right, not a privilege, to be removed only as punishment for a crime or through voluntary expatriation.—
Marcia Biederman,
Hartford Courant,
13 July 2025
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For years, state and local authorities have struggled to police these operations, hampered by limited resources and weak criminal punishments that allow arcade owners to brush off law-enforcement interference, the news organizations found.—
Josh Salman,
Miami Herald,
11 July 2025
Noun
-
Walking away entirely from UNEP would put us at a disadvantage.—
Kristen Edgreen Kaufman,
Forbes.com,
8 July 2025
-
Some of the female immune advantage may be male immune disadvantage, and while it’s accepted that hormones affect immunity, determining to what degree is an ongoing research question.—
Starre Vartan,
CNN Money,
7 July 2025
Noun
-
Arriving in 2014 – after earning the wrath of the Egyptian government for covering the Arab Spring as a freelance journalist – one of Greater Cincinnati’s newest immigration detainees has lived in Oregon, Chicago and Cincinnati.—
Patricia Gallagher Newberry,
The Enquirer,
11 July 2025
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Democrats weren’t the only ones to feel the wrath of Minaj on Tuesday.—
Michael Saponara,
Billboard,
9 July 2025
Noun
-
Funds become accessible at 18 for qualified expenses, with broader withdrawal options phased in over time.—
James Broughel,
Forbes.com,
15 July 2025
-
Prosecutors allege that Measures used that money, which was held in an escrow account for clients, to pay for personal and operating expenses, pay off creditors, Four Seasons spa treatments, clothing, car payments and at least $55,000 for Los Angeles Crypto Arena seats.—
Caitlin Huston,
HollywoodReporter,
15 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Penalty.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/penalty. Accessed 22 Jul. 2025.
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