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
Apartheid South Africa, America’s criminal punishment system, and Ukraine post-Russian invasion don’t seem to have much in common at first glance.
—
Chadd Scott, Forbes, 2 Jan. 2025
On top of this, each faction is vying against one another every week for the top spot, with the loser facing some kind of punishment.
—Kazuma Hashimoto, Rolling Stone, 2 Jan. 2025
Boy made to 'stand in a corner all day' as punishment
One family member who spoke with police told them Sizemore had called on Dec. 22 and said Kayden had been drinking chemicals the day before his death that left him unable to move his legs.
—Noe Padilla, USA TODAY, 31 Dec. 2024
Skinner’s work showed that positive reinforcement increases the chances a behavior will become established and that punishment or lack of reinforcement decreases it, Breedlove said.
—Korin Miller, Health, 28 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for punishment 
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Chadd Scott, Forbes, 2 Jan. 2025
On top of this, each faction is vying against one another every week for the top spot, with the loser facing some kind of punishment.
—Kazuma Hashimoto, Rolling Stone, 2 Jan. 2025
Boy made to 'stand in a corner all day' as punishment
One family member who spoke with police told them Sizemore had called on Dec. 22 and said Kayden had been drinking chemicals the day before his death that left him unable to move his legs.
—Noe Padilla, USA TODAY, 31 Dec. 2024
Skinner’s work showed that positive reinforcement increases the chances a behavior will become established and that punishment or lack of reinforcement decreases it, Breedlove said.
—Korin Miller, Health, 28 Dec. 2024
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 18 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
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