as in correctional
inflicting, involving, or serving as punishment
any misbehavior was immediately met with a punitive response the company had to pay a million dollars in punitive damages
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Recent Examples of punitive
Governments that worry about trading away their leverage should remember that delisting HTS and providing Syria with sanctions relief now would not stop them from undertaking other punitive actions later if the circumstances require it.
—
Delaney Simon, Foreign Affairs, 2 Jan. 2025
Trump may enact punitive measures that could harm Iraq’s stability, increase tensions and depress economic activity.
—James Durso, The Hill, 16 Jan. 2025
Trump reimposed the sanctions and introduced additional punitive measures.
—Dan De Luce, NBC News, 14 Jan. 2025
Lawmakers increased punitive measures and expanded the range of charges under which kids could be tried as adults.
—Shirsho Dasgupta, Miami Herald, 8 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for punitive 
Delaney Simon, Foreign Affairs, 2 Jan. 2025
Trump may enact punitive measures that could harm Iraq’s stability, increase tensions and depress economic activity.
—James Durso, The Hill, 16 Jan. 2025
Trump reimposed the sanctions and introduced additional punitive measures.
—Dan De Luce, NBC News, 14 Jan. 2025
Lawmakers increased punitive measures and expanded the range of charges under which kids could be tried as adults.
—Shirsho Dasgupta, Miami Herald, 8 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for punitive
Thesaurus Entries Near punitive
Cite this Entry
“Punitive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/punitive. Accessed 9 Feb. 2025.
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