disciplining 1 of 2

adjective

as in punitive
inflicting, involving, or serving as punishment disciplining actions taken in response to the rowdiness

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disciplining

2 of 2

verb

present participle of discipline
as in punishing
to inflict a penalty on for a fault or crime the pranksters were severely disciplined for their irresponsible stunt

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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 disciplining
Verb
Witch fever, by this point in history, had become a mechanism for brutally regulating and disciplining female behavior, and doing so intergenerationally. — Literary Hub, 14 Oct. 2026 But instead of disciplining the officer, officers were sent to arrest Gibbons. — Landon Mion, FOXNews.com, 24 Sep. 2026 Effective discipline is one of the toughest and most frustrating tasks for parents of children of all ages, but disciplining a toddler comes with its own special challenges. — Cynthia Hanson, Parents, 13 Sep. 2026 Since wives were supposed to obey their husbands, men might be justified in physically disciplining them. — Gloria Steinem, The Atlantic, 4 Sep. 2026 The State Bar would be tasked with disciplining lawyers that flout the rule. — Rebecca Ellis, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026 Nonetheless the school pressed forward with disciplining the students. — Daniel Rivero, Sun Sentinel, 24 Aug. 2026 Management then began disciplining employees for minor infractions, some of which were false, targeting the employees who reported harassment, according to the lawsuit. — Chris Ramirez, jsonline.com, 20 Aug. 2026 The Illinois House committee will not decide Ammons’ guilt but will determine whether the facts support disciplining her as a House member — a process that could range from no penalty to expulsion. — Jeremy Gorner, Chicago Tribune, 6 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for disciplining
  1. punitive
  2. punishing
  3. correctional
Adjective
  • Yet there are few examples in history of adversaries conceding to maximalist demands in the face of punitive bombing campaigns alone—even by the world’s greatest air force.
    — Justin Bronk, Foreign Affairs, 13 Oct. 2026
  • An exploration of self-perception and a non-punitive confrontation with the past.
    — Anna Marie de la Fuente, Variety, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of punitive
Verb
  • Seeing that gave Novick hope that the criminal justice system might serve a greater purpose beyond simply punishing those who break the law.
    — Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Both a federal district court and the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the state was not targeting or punishing Catholic preschools because of their faith.
    — Preston Green III, The Conversation, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of punishing
Adjective
  • In general, correctional officers should not be involved with inmates’ medical decisions, but health care providers do not have the authority to remove restraints; such decisions reside with the correctional facility.
    — M. Sara Rosenthal, STAT, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Just under 34,000 employees work for the agency, but not all are correctional officers.
    — Scott Peyton, Washington Post, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of correctional

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disciplining
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Cite this Entry

“Disciplining.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disciplining. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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