punishment
noun
pun·ish·ment
ˈpə-nish-mənt 
1
: the act of punishing
2
a
: suffering, pain, or loss that serves as retribution
b
: a penalty inflicted on an offender through judicial procedure
3
: severe, rough, or disastrous treatment
Examples of punishment in a Sentence
I took away my daughter's car keys as a punishment for her bad behavior.
The punishments that the government has inflicted on the protesters are severe and unjust.
The punishment for murder is life imprisonment.
Some religions teach that wicked people will suffer eternal punishment in hell after they die.
Recent Examples on the Web
Trump on Saturday hit Canada with an additional 10% tariff, as punishment over an ad.
—
Yeo Boon Ping, CNBC, 27 Oct. 2025
My wife says punishment doesn't work.
—Kayla Grant, PEOPLE, 27 Oct. 2025
Coming out of that game, one Vikings player is getting hit with punishment from the NFL for his actions.
—Anne Erickson, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Oct. 2025
Hence, taking them away is an appropriate punishment.
—Helen Lewis, The Atlantic, 25 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for punishment
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Yeo Boon Ping, CNBC, 27 Oct. 2025
My wife says punishment doesn't work.
—Kayla Grant, PEOPLE, 27 Oct. 2025
Coming out of that game, one Vikings player is getting hit with punishment from the NFL for his actions.
—Anne Erickson, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Oct. 2025
Hence, taking them away is an appropriate punishment.
—Helen Lewis, The Atlantic, 25 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for punishment
Cite this Entry
“Punishment.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/punishment. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
punishment
noun
pun·ish·ment
ˈpən-ish-mənt
1
a
: the act of punishing
b
: the state or fact of being punished
persons undergoing punishment
2
: the penalty for a fault or crime
the punishment for robbery
3
: severe, rough, or disastrous treatment
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