PUNISHES Synonyms: 38 Similar and Opposite Words

punishes

verb

present tense third-person singular of punish

as in penalizes

to inflict a penalty on for a fault or crime the child was punished for breaking dishes on purpose if caught, the thief will be severely punished

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 punishes This type of leader isn’t likely to emerge in a political culture that rewards antics and showmanship and punishes seriousness and integrity. — Colin Pascal, Baltimore Sun, 12 Oct. 2026 That timeline rewards commitment and punishes constant switching, which is how most routines fail. — Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 7 Oct. 2026 The shortfall that punishes success The system can also make serving more children harder, not easier. — Tim Grailer, Fortune, 19 Sep. 2026 The market already punishes models that behave in unpredictable or unauthorized ways. — Kevin Breuninger,cj Haddad, CNBC, 14 Sep. 2026 If, as Jimmy Connors has said, tennis is boxing at ninety feet—a lonely battle of wills that punishes the slightest lapse in concentration—Eala’s southpaw forehand drives resemble Pacquiao’s blazing left hooks. — Albert Samaha, New Yorker, 29 Aug. 2026 The result is a system that unfairly punishes Las Vegas residents who have worked to conserve water, Nevada officials say. — Brandon Loomis, AZCentral.com, 24 Aug. 2026 Alex Williamson is a mom in the district who thinks that the new policy is too broad and punishes the kids who ride their e-bikes safely. — Michele Gile, CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026 Sehnaoui's meeting with the Israeli leader occurred as some in Lebanon have called for abolishing a 1955 law that bans dealing with Israel or having contacts with Israelis and punishes offenders with up to 10 years in jail. — ABC News, 29 July 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for punishes

Verb

The comments from Beijing came days after France started applying its anti-ultra-fast fashion law, which penalizes each item between 25 cents and 12 euros (over $13).

— Roy Stephen Canivel, Footwear News, 8 Sep. 2026
Many automakers have been pushing for a revised USMCA that better rewards domestic manufacturing and penalizes competitors reliant on foreign imports.

— Jamie L. LaReau, Freep.com, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of penalizes

Verb

Whether the league responds to Booker’s complaints — or fines him for them — the conversation around officiating in this series is far from over.

— Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 23 Apr. 2026
The state of California also fines taxpayers who didn’t withhold enough from their paychecks, with rates varying by offense.

— Alexiah Syrai Olsen, Sacbee.com, 7 Apr. 2026

Definition of fines

Verb

These days, the Ambassador has to handle a different set of challenges such as handling the fallout when the boss criticizes the British Prime Minister on social media.

— Peter White, Deadline, 15 Oct. 2026
One candidate promises to lower gas and grocery prices and criticizes the incumbent for not doing so (as if politicians can control the market).

— Cal Thomas, Arkansas Online, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of criticizes

Verb

The few encounters with representatives of the law are exasperating — an officer chastises Soulan for being a bad role model for his students — though not necessarily cut and dried.

— Kambole Campbell, Variety, 11 Oct. 2026
Later, after clearing the Silo 1 control room, Victor both chastises Camille for her failures and grudgingly praises her for lying so convincingly that his biometric lie detectors couldn’t detect it.

— Noel Murray, Vulture, 4 Sep. 2026

Definition of chastises

Verb

Lench ruled at the time that Weinstein cannot serve his New York and Los Angeles sentences concurrently.

— Alexandra Del Rosario, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2026
Then with Lee, in the timeline closest to our present day, her heartbreaking, hard-to-stomach testimony means nothing to a callous judge who sentences her to death three times over.

— Ben Travers, IndieWire, 18 Sep. 2026

Definition of sentences

Browse Nearby Words

punishers

punishes

punishing

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

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

Copy Citation

Synonyms of punishes

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

compunction

Popular in Grammar & Usage

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

'Can' vs. 'May'

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

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

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?

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

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

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

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes