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
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of penalty
This month, the influential environmental group Conservation Colorado filed ballot measures with the state elections office that would slap stricter penalties on the energy industry for the pollution and contamination that result from its operations.
—
John Aguilar, Denver Post, 29 Mar. 2026
The violations, which according to the jurors reached thousands, resulted in a penalty of $375 million.
—Ibrahim Aksoy, CBS News, 29 Mar. 2026
Some of the best personal lenders offer fast funding, no prepayment penalties and flexible credit score requirements.
—Jasmin Suknanan, CNBC, 28 Mar. 2026
The Predators had a pair of power plays in the second against a penalty killing unit ranked 27th in the NHL but couldn’t beat Fowler.
—ABC News, 28 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for penalty
John Aguilar, Denver Post, 29 Mar. 2026
The violations, which according to the jurors reached thousands, resulted in a penalty of $375 million.
—Ibrahim Aksoy, CBS News, 29 Mar. 2026
Some of the best personal lenders offer fast funding, no prepayment penalties and flexible credit score requirements.
—Jasmin Suknanan, CNBC, 28 Mar. 2026
The Predators had a pair of power plays in the second against a penalty killing unit ranked 27th in the NHL but couldn’t beat Fowler.
—ABC News, 28 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for penalty
Recent Examples of Synonyms for penalty
Noun
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She is also being ordered to pay nearly $4 million in fines and court costs, more than half of it going to pay private attorney's fees that the county racked up in suing her.—
John Ramos,
CBS News,
31 Mar. 2026
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Empower was barred from doing business in Washington DC last year after the company was found to have flouted licensing requirements and ignored fines in the nation’s capital.—
Evan Simko-Bednarski,
New York Daily News,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
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But when the people responsible are caught, some are already hoping for the worst punishment possible.—
Lizzie Lanuza,
StyleCaster,
2 Apr. 2026
-
But that behavior and actions cause for some type of punishment.—
Kaicey Baylor,
CBS News,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
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For decades, the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation has offered college scholarships to Black students who faced disadvantages from attending underfunded schools in majority-Black districts.—
Julian Mark,
Washington Post,
2 Apr. 2026
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Any disadvantage there may be in waiting a week or 10 days to get started on the portal is offset, probably outweighed, by the attention and excitement being built for BC basketball by their incoming coach’s presence on national TV, associated with a Final Four team.—
Dom Amore,
Hartford Courant,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The family is now suing, in part, for monetary damages, disciplinary action against the deputy, and more departmental training.—
Zach Boetto,
CBS News,
2 Apr. 2026
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To the extent permitted by applicable law, all judgments or awards shall be limited to actual out-of-pocket damages (excluding attorneys’ fees) associated with participation in this Promotion and shall not include any indirect, punitive, incidental and/or consequential damages.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
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My refusal to accept his drinking has led him to cast his wrath upon me on occasion.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Washington Post,
31 Mar. 2026
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Mullin will also face congressional Democrats’ wrath as lawmakers on Capitol Hill have already begun to investigate DHS for the massive contracts to individuals and companies that were inexperienced, had connections to Noem’s staff, or contained other irregularities.—
Anna Giaritelli,
The Washington Examiner,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Graves said higher labor, energy, and regulatory costs all contribute to higher production expenses that are ultimately passed on to drivers.—
Richard Ramos,
CBS News,
3 Apr. 2026
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An online fundraiser was created Wednesday to benefit Rodriguez’s family and pay her funeral expenses.—
Kerry Burke,
New York Daily News,
3 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Penalty.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/penalty. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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