punish
verb (used with object)
to subject to pain, loss, confinement, death, etc., as a penalty for some offense, transgression, or fault.
have been punishing
-
present perfect progressiveof punish.present perfect progressive
Used to describe an action that began in the past, has continued continuously, and is still in progress.
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.
Stolz’s redwood thighs have been punishing the field in Milan, shattering Olympic records and Dutch dreams.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 16, 2026
Skepticism about AI’s real potential returns are mounting, talk of a bubble and potential bust has increased, and investors have been punishing big spenders like Meta Platforms.
From Barron's ● Nov. 18, 2025
Investors have been punishing Tesla stock of late as Musk has spent much of his time running Twitter, raising fears that he’s distracted from the car company.
From Seattle Times ● Dec. 14, 2022
Lockdowns have been punishing for the residents of less-developed regions, where shortages of food and medicine have been common.
From New York Times ● Oct. 9, 2022
Olmsted’s teeth hurt, his ears roared, and he could not sleep, yet throughout the first months of 1892 he kept up a pace that would have been punishing for a man one-third his age.
From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson
