PUNISHMENT Synonyms: 52 Similar and Opposite Words

punishment

noun

ˈpə-nish-mənt

Definition of punishment

as in penalty

suffering, loss, or hardship imposed in response to a crime or offense he is serving five years in prison as punishment for aggravated assault

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of punishment No court in the land would ever be so lenient as to lop off almost two-thirds of a punishment this way. — Daniel Taylor, New York Times, 1 Aug. 2026 But Proposition 36 backers are asking for money to largely create an alternative to existing systems — one that ends in punishment for those who fail. — Los Angeles Times, 31 July 2026 The punishment range for manslaughter, the offense on which Riojas is under indictment, is two to 20 years in prison. — Emerson Clarridge, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 31 July 2026 The Bacchae tells the story of King Pentheus of Thebes and his mother Agave, their rejection of the cult of Dionysus, and their subsequent punishment. — Angelica Frey, JSTOR Daily, 31 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for punishment

Recent Examples of Synonyms for punishment

Noun

Part of ‘The Invincibles’ Baresi was part of the Italy squad that won the 1982 World Cup and captained the team to the 1994 final, which ended in a narrow penalty shootout loss to Brazil, with Baresi among the players who failed to score.

— CNN Money, CNN Money, 31 July 2026
Violations give the commissioner broad authority to impose severe penalties, ranging from fines and suspensions to permanent banishment in order to protect the integrity of the league.

— Alejandro Avila OutKick, FOXNews.com, 31 July 2026

Definition of penalty

Noun

Former head coach of the South Korean national team Hong Myung-bo faced the Korean public's wrath and resigned after controversial player decisions led to the team's poor showing.

— Regina Kim, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026
No warrior strove harder than clear-eyed Nolan, who daily tackled the wrath of the studio gods.

— Henry Alford, New Yorker, 16 July 2026

Definition of wrath

Browse Nearby Words

punishing

punishment

punishments

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Punishment.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/punishment. Accessed 3 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of punishment

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on punishment

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

mitigate

Popular in Grammar & Usage

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

Popular in Wordplay

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

How long is a jiffy?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

Popular

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Games & Quizzes