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Synonyms

punishing

American  
[puhn-i-shing] / ˈpʌn ɪ ʃɪŋ /

adjective

  1. causing or characterized by harsh or injurious treatment; severe; brutal.

    The storm was accompanied by punishing winds.

Other Word Forms

  • nonpunishing adjective
  • self-punishing adjective
  • unpunishing adjective
  • unpunishingly adverb

Etymology

Origin of punishing

1425–75; late Middle English punyesand; punish, -ing 2

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.

But what’s intended as a blow to the government is punishing the Cuban people.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026

The worst monthly showing for the S&P 500 index in a year — and the worst first-quarter performance since 2022, when a punishing bear market was just getting underway.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 31, 2026

SAN FRANCISCO—A federal judge on Tuesday said the U.S. government appeared to be punishing Anthropic by banning the artificial-intelligence company—in retribution for bringing into the public view its contracting dispute with the Pentagon.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 24, 2026

"Sporting sanctions first came into the frame as an acknowledgement that sometimes punishing with a fine just didn't fit the crime," Purslow added.

From BBC • Mar. 18, 2026

Rishi tried to catch Dimple’s eye, but she kept shoveling in French fry after French fry like she was punishing them with her teeth.

From "When Dimple Met Rishi" by Sandhya Menon

Definitions 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.