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
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
The legal ban against withholding recess as punishment has generated friction in California.
—
Cierra Morgan, Los Angeles Times, 18 June 2026
Guéhi avoided punishment, though the FA prohibits players from displaying religious messages.
—ABC News, 18 June 2026
The team did not immediately respond to an email asking who the players were, whether the players would speak to Fox News and whether there would be further punishment for the players.
—Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 18 June 2026
Along those lines, such a school could face the prospect of conference punishment, such as prohibitions on postseason play and restrictions on revenue distributions.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 17 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for punishment
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Cierra Morgan, Los Angeles Times, 18 June 2026
Guéhi avoided punishment, though the FA prohibits players from displaying religious messages.
—ABC News, 18 June 2026
The team did not immediately respond to an email asking who the players were, whether the players would speak to Fox News and whether there would be further punishment for the players.
—Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 18 June 2026
Along those lines, such a school could face the prospect of conference punishment, such as prohibitions on postseason play and restrictions on revenue distributions.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 17 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for punishment
Cite this Entry
“Punishment.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/punishment. Accessed 19 Jun. 2026.
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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