punitive damages

American  

plural noun

Law.

1. damages awarded to a plaintiff in excess of compensatory damages in order to punish the defendant for a reckless or willful act.

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Etymology

Origin of punitive damages

First recorded in 1970–75

Example Sentences

Punitive damages are meant to punish a person for their conduct.

From Seattle Times • Oct. 6, 2022

Punitive damages, though also paid to the plaintiff, are there to punish and deter the defendant.

From Salon • Aug. 10, 2022

Punitive damages are meant to sting, Tobias said, so juries tend to award sums proportionate to the defendant’s finances despite many states contradictorily having caps on such awards.

From Washington Post • Aug. 5, 2022

Punitive damages are intended to punish especially harmful behavior and tend to be granted at the court’s discretion, and are sometimes many multiples of a compensatory award.

From New York Times • Aug. 5, 2022

"Punitive damages, the dismemberment of empires, the establishment of selfish and exclusive economic leagues, we deem inexpedient."

From Woodrow Wilson and the World War A Chronicle of Our Own Times. by Seymour, Charles