Synonyms

punishable

American

[puhn-i-shuh-buhl] / ˈpʌn ɪ ʃə bəl /

adjective

liable to or deserving punishment.

ˈpunishable British

/ ˈpʌnɪʃəbəl /

adjective

liable to be punished or deserving of punishment

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

nonpunishable adjective
punishability noun
repunishable adjective
unpunishable adjective

Etymology

Origin of punishable

1375–1425; late Middle English. See punish, -able

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.

Proscription makes it a criminal offence to belong to or support Palestine Action, punishable by up to 14 years in prison.

From BBC • Mar. 26, 2026

A violation of the law is punishable by a fine of $1,000 per offense.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 26, 2026

Tastelessness is not punishable by law, and neither is adapting a beloved novel however a filmmaker sees fit.

From Salon • Feb. 23, 2026

In Italy, aggravated fraud is punishable by one to five years in prison, but Ferragni opted for a fast-track trial, which offers defendants a reduced sentence.

From Barron's • Jan. 14, 2026

Alabama is among the growing list of states that make the murder of a person under the age of fourteen a capital offense punishable by the death penalty.

From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023