impunity
Americannoun
-
exemption from punishment.
-
immunity from detrimental effects, as of an action.
noun
-
exemption or immunity from punishment or recrimination
-
exemption or immunity from unpleasant consequences
a successful career marked by impunity from early mistakes
-
-
with no unpleasant consequences
-
with no care or heed for such consequences
-
Synonym Usage
See exemption.
Etymology
Origin of impunity
First recorded in 1525–35; from Middle French impunite or Latin impūnitāt-, stem of impūnitās, derivative of impūnis “without punishment, unpunished” (from the adverb impūne), equivalent to im- im- 2 + -pūne, combining form of poena “penalty, pain” + -itās -ity
Explanation
If doing something usually results in punishment, but you do it with impunity, you will not be punished for the deed. Students are not allowed to chew gum in school, but teachers do it with impunity. Not fair! The noun, impunity, comes from the Latin roots im- ("not") plus poena ("punishment"), a root which has also produced the word pain. Impunity, then, is the freedom from punishment or pain. If someone has committed a punishable offense but does not have to fear punishment, he or she does it "with impunity." Cybercriminals operate with impunity in some countries.
Vocabulary lists containing impunity
"The Cask Of Amontillado" by Edgar Allan Poe
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
"The Cask of Amontillado"
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
The Scarlet Letter
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Juan's work has exposed corruption scandals and shown how local governments have often failed to tackle the region's main problems: impunity and inequality.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 29, 2026
The council deplored the suffering of Afghans and voiced deep concern about deeply entrenched impunity in the country.
From Barron's ● Oct. 5, 2026
The document called for an "impunity" inquiry to ask how powerful men were able to carry out the alleged behaviour.
From BBC ● Aug. 5, 2026
"His return with complete impunity and without punishment for those crimes is a tremendous slap in the face to the victims," legal analyst Joaquin Mejia told AFP.
From Barron's ● Jul. 26, 2026
The youngest was also the quietest, the one who seemed reluctant to wholeheartedly embrace his friends’ air of impunity.
From "A Thousand Splendid Suns" by Khaled Hosseini
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
