PUNISHMENTS Synonyms: 50 Similar and Opposite Words

punishments

noun

plural of punishment

as in penalties

suffering, loss, or hardship imposed in response to a crime or offense he is serving five years in prison as punishment for aggravated assault

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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 punishments The punishments were carried out in public every Friday, after prayers. — Dexter Filkins, New Yorker, 14 Oct. 2026 Some of those students say the university found their attackers responsible for the assault – only to let them off the hook with light punishments. — Casey Tolan, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2026 Two were asked to write reflection essays as part of their punishments. — ABC News, 14 Oct. 2026 England’s punishments became a measure of what republican justice must overcome. — Maurizio Valsania, The Conversation, 14 Oct. 2026 Further, the native Taino population had been decimated, and an investigator reported how Columbus used torture and mutilation as punishments. — Matthew Ablon, CBS News, 12 Oct. 2026 Leeds, Man United and Spurs all had various incidents and subsequent punishments before Hysel. — Tim Spiers, New York Times, 11 Oct. 2026 City could face a points deduction or a relegation to a lower-tier league on top of fines or individual punishments for team executives. — Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 7 Oct. 2026 In a September complaint, Bonta alleged that from 2018-19 through the first half of 2024-25, Black students received exclusionary punishments at about 4 times the rate of White students at the district. — Chaewon Chung, Sacbee.com, 7 Oct. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for punishments

penalties

Noun

Brooks Koepka in January became the first LIV player to return to the PGA Tour under financial penalties that included no access to equity grants for five years.

— ABC News, ABC News, 13 Oct. 2026
The Wild killed all five penalties against them and are 21 for 22 this season, the best penalty kill rate in the NHL.

— CBS News, CBS News, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of penalties

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punishment

punishments

punitive

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

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Synonyms of punishments

noun

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