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Synonyms

corporal punishment

American  

noun

  1. Law. physical punishment, as flogging, inflicted on the body of one convicted of a crime: formerly included the death penalty, sentencing to a term of years, etc.

  2. physical punishment, as spanking, inflicted on a child by an adult in authority.

corporal punishment British  

noun

  1. punishment of a physical nature, such as caning, flogging, or beating

"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

Etymology

Origin of corporal punishment

First recorded in 1575–85

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.

With his older brother John, he ran a school, having left a previous teaching post from a disinclination to administer corporal punishment.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 30, 2026

But, he adds, there is a "spectrum" of schools, with some incorporating psychotherapy for students and training for parents, or disciplining staff who carry out corporal punishment.

From BBC • Dec. 11, 2025

That includes by rehiring all women teachers, reforming the curriculum in line with international human rights standards and ending corporal punishment.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 5, 2023

Only three states fully ban corporal punishment at both public and private schools; 25 make it illegal in public schools, but allow private school teachers to use physical force as punishment for students.

From Slate • Sep. 12, 2023

Mother disapproved of all forms of corporal punishment.

From "Cheaper by the Dozen" by Frank B. Gilbreth Jr. and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey

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.