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
This means sanctions and penalties for anyone providing material support to the group.
—
Neda Ulaby, NPR, 26 Apr. 2025
But Minnesota killed its first penalty of the game, then brought the crowd back to life with Boldy’s individual effort to boost the lead back to two goals.
—Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 25 Apr. 2025
Meanwhile, death penalty advocates are speaking out against the federal government’s decision to pursue capital punishment.
—Lorena O'Neil, Rolling Stone, 25 Apr. 2025
The failure-to-file penalty corresponds to 5 percent of unpaid taxes per month or partial month, according to the agency, capped at 25 percent.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for penalty
Neda Ulaby, NPR, 26 Apr. 2025
But Minnesota killed its first penalty of the game, then brought the crowd back to life with Boldy’s individual effort to boost the lead back to two goals.
—Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 25 Apr. 2025
Meanwhile, death penalty advocates are speaking out against the federal government’s decision to pursue capital punishment.
—Lorena O'Neil, Rolling Stone, 25 Apr. 2025
The failure-to-file penalty corresponds to 5 percent of unpaid taxes per month or partial month, according to the agency, capped at 25 percent.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for penalty
Recent Examples of Synonyms for penalty
Noun
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That arrangement ended the appeal process, rescinded the suspension, and maintained a $5,000 fine, which was part of Chisholm’s initial discipline.—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
27 Apr. 2025
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The report also noted that Lemonis has held out against the lawsuits and continues to fly the huge flags, which continue to incur fines.—
Luke Gentile,
The Washington Examiner,
25 Apr. 2025
Noun
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The solution lies in addressing our housing shortage, not punishment.—
David Bonaccorsi,
Mercury News,
22 Apr. 2025
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In cases of employment, housing, and public accommodation, by simply using one’s freedom of speech to utter a biologically factual pronoun, a person could find him or herself in the crosshairs of a Colorado Civil Rights Division investigation and punishment or possibly a lawsuit.—
Krista Kafer,
Denver Post,
21 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Everton is looking to break into this group but is at a disadvantage due to a period of financial and sporting uncertainty under its previous ownership, which led to points deductions during the 2022/23 season.—
James Nalton,
Forbes.com,
26 Apr. 2025
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Pakistan has long been at a major disadvantage in its wars with India due to its vastly smaller land mass and population.—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
24 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Columbia University was among the first colleges to face the wrath of Donald Trump, whose administration canceled $400 million of funding and arrested two student protesters.—
Dan Alexander,
Forbes.com,
17 Apr. 2025
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This isn’t the first time Khan has faced the wrath of India’s Hindu right.—
Rhea Mogul,
CNN Money,
7 Apr. 2025
Noun
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All told, money distributed from endowments covered more than 15%, on average, of college and university operating expenses in 2024.—
Todd L. Ely,
The Conversation,
24 Apr. 2025
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The drop in expenses, the company said, was primarily due to lower sports programming costs at Peacock and its domestic television networks.—
Dade Hayes,
Deadline,
24 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Penalty.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/penalty. Accessed 2 May. 2025.
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