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
For example, Reuters reports that the European Union faces a punitive tariff of 20% - four times the 5% that the World Trade Organization reports as the E.U.'s average tariff rate.
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Carlie Procell, USA Today, 4 Apr. 2025
There is a tremendous difference between slapping punitive tariffs on China and Canada, for example.
—Newsweek Staff, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Apr. 2025
The overwhelmed administration levied minimal consequences, leading to the student having the impression that their aberrant behavior would result in no significant punitive action.
—Martin Potters, The Orlando Sentinel, 30 Mar. 2025
Those are easy to understand for most Americans — an issue of fairness that many folks can get behind as opposed to across-the-board punitive tariffs on countries or products.
—Elisabeth Buchwald, CNN, 25 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for punitive
Carlie Procell, USA Today, 4 Apr. 2025
There is a tremendous difference between slapping punitive tariffs on China and Canada, for example.
—Newsweek Staff, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Apr. 2025
The overwhelmed administration levied minimal consequences, leading to the student having the impression that their aberrant behavior would result in no significant punitive action.
—Martin Potters, The Orlando Sentinel, 30 Mar. 2025
Those are easy to understand for most Americans — an issue of fairness that many folks can get behind as opposed to across-the-board punitive tariffs on countries or products.
—Elisabeth Buchwald, CNN, 25 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for punitive
Cite this Entry
“Punitive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/punitive. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.
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