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
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 punitive
American retailers and brands shared their own individual concerns with the USTR’s Section 301 punitive measures.
—
Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 20 May 2025
With a maximum rookie-scale contract extension slated to kick in for Mobley next season, Cleveland is set to find itself in the NBA's punitive second luxury tax apron.
—Alex Kirschenbaum, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 May 2025
Still, if punitive policies towards Chinese international students persist, students may turn to alternative destinations, experts say.
—Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 30 May 2025
The introduction of the punitive second apron effectively forced teams into making tough choices, as the Minnesota Timberwolves encountered with their trade of Karl-Anthony Towns right before training camp this past season and the Boston Celtics are poised to learn this coming offseason.
—Bryan Toporek, Forbes.com, 29 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for punitive
Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 20 May 2025
With a maximum rookie-scale contract extension slated to kick in for Mobley next season, Cleveland is set to find itself in the NBA's punitive second luxury tax apron.
—Alex Kirschenbaum, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 May 2025
Still, if punitive policies towards Chinese international students persist, students may turn to alternative destinations, experts say.
—Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 30 May 2025
The introduction of the punitive second apron effectively forced teams into making tough choices, as the Minnesota Timberwolves encountered with their trade of Karl-Anthony Towns right before training camp this past season and the Boston Celtics are poised to learn this coming offseason.
—Bryan Toporek, Forbes.com, 29 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for punitive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for punitive
Adjective
-
In the report on El Salvador, whose penal system has become a dumping ground for migrants deported from the United States, there will be no details on the conditions in those prisons.—
Gal Beckerman,
The Atlantic,
1 May 2025
-
Convicted in London for conducting clandestine marriages, Grierson was sentenced to 14 years of penal servitude in the American Colonies.—
Alexandra Cox,
Smithsonian Magazine,
10 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
But our research shows that whether a report leads to corrective action doesn’t just depend on what is reported, but also who is doing the reporting.—
Tim Kundro,
Harvard Business Review,
2 June 2025
-
What’s next? St. Hope Public Schools has until Aug. 26 to address the violations and come up with a corrective action plan.—
Jennah Pendleton,
Sacbee.com,
21 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Punitive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/punitive. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share