punitive
adjective
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Punitive and the Law
Punitive is an important word in the law. When you sue a person or company for having wronged you in some way, you normally ask for something of value equal to what you were deprived of by the other party. But when the defendant has done something particularly bad, you may also ask for punitive damages, money over and above the actual cost of the harm done, intended to teach the defendant a lesson. Punitive damages are fairly rare, but when they're actually granted they may be as much as four times the size of the basic damages.
Examples of punitive in a Sentence
Ron Estes, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2025
The county’s approach under Book, argues Peery, is superficial — rotating people in and out of shelters without pushing for dramatic changes — and punitive.
—Max Klaver, Miami Herald, 20 Mar. 2025
The prospect of punitive cuts looms large if California and its education institutions refuse to adhere to Trump policy positions on limiting LGBTQ+ rights and DEI programs.
—Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 20 Mar. 2025
Among those was state Rep. Greg Howard, a Republican on the Judiciary Committee who argued in response to testimony from CT Against Gun Violence Executive Director Earl Bloodworth that the bill’s purpose is punitive.
—Kaitlin McCallum, Hartford Courant, 14 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for punitive
Cite this Entry
“Punitive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/punitive. Accessed 5 Apr. 2025.
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punitive
adjective
Legal Definition
punitive
adjective
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