punisher

American  

[puhn-i-sher] / ˈpʌn ɪ ʃər /

noun

1. a person who inflicts a penalty, such as pain, confinement, etc..

   If your response is delayed, the dog will link the punishment to the punisher and not to the transgression.

2. Sports. a person who plays or hits aggressively.

   The player is destined to be an all-American and an all-around punisher in the league.

3. a thing that inflicts pain, discomfort, etc..

   I ran out of time on the test because of one punisher—a question I should have left for last.

4. something that deters or dissuades.

   Any stimulus which makes the behavior it follows more frequent is a reinforcer, even if it is intended as a punisher.

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Other Word Forms

• self-punisher noun

Etymology

Origin of punisher

punish ( def. ) + -er ¹ ( def. )

Example Sentences

On Saturday, the 6-foot, 218-pound punisher totaled 129 rushing yards … before contact.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 5, 2023

We all suddenly knew our great friendly teacher was a punisher.

From Washington Post • Dec. 28, 2022

While not a system punisher by a long shot, it ran at almost 200 frames per second and looked fantastic on the high refresh rate display.

From The Verge • Aug. 18, 2022

Mr. Smith wrote that he had another, less public, side: “the General,” a punisher who emerged when joviality didn’t get the job done.

From New York Times • Apr. 2, 2022

Our enemies Laugh loudly, and she maddens in her joy, Our mother most unmotherly, of whom Thy secret missives ofttimes told me, thou Wouldst be the punisher.

From The Seven Plays in English Verse by Sophocles