punishment

[ puhn-ish-muhnt ]

noun

1. the act of punishing. punishing.
2. the fact of being punished, as for an offense or fault.
3. a penalty inflicted for an offense, fault, etc.
4. severe handling or treatment.

punishment

/ ˈpʌnɪʃmənt /

noun

1. a penalty or sanction given for any crime or offence
2. the act of punishing or state of being punished
3. informal.
   rough treatment
4. psychol any aversive stimulus administered to an organism as part of training

Other Words From

• non·punish·ment noun
• over·punish·ment noun
• pre·punish·ment noun
• pro·punish·ment adjective
• re·punish·ment noun
• self-punish·ment noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of punishment¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English punysshement, from Anglo-French punisement, Old French punissement; equivalent to punish + -ment

Idioms and Phrases

see glutton for punishment .

Example Sentences

Gaetz, who led the successful effort to depose former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in 2023, claimed that the investigations were punishment for his defiance.

From Salon

For many boarding school students, corporal punishment was regarded as "normal", former Zimbabwean cricketer Henry Olonga, who was attending the camp the night Guide died, said in his 2015 autobiography.

From BBC

Amid a national outcry over the Zhuhai incident, President Xi Jinping has vowed "severe punishment" for the perpetrator.

From BBC

Landry has also made it legal to use nitrogen as a form of capital punishment, added medication to induce abortion on the state’s list of controlled dangerous substances and made it so judges can order surgical castration for child sex offenders.

From Salon

In contrast, Biden has a mixed record on capital punishment.

From Slate

Related Words

• abuse
• beating
• discipline
• forfeiture
• retribution
• sanction
• suffering
• torture
• trial