punish
verb (used with object)
to subject to pain, loss, confinement, death, etc., as a penalty for some offense, transgression, or fault.
is punishing
-
present progressiveof punish (3rd person singular).present progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or state that is currently taking place in the immediate present.
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.
“I think that what we’ve created is a environment that is punishing mobility instead of rewarding mobility. And this was set up a long, long time ago. We didn’t get here overnight.”
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 9, 2026
"This is punishing for both women and men, but also for family life."
From BBC ● Jun. 15, 2026
A lawsuit says the agency is punishing the outfit for its viewpoint.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 12, 2026
“The administration is punishing Mr. Abrego Garcia for his willingness to speak out about the abuses that he suffered at CECOT,” she told me.
From Slate ● Aug. 28, 2025
When she raised it, after a long silence, she said: “I will not think so any more; you don’t know what I suffered in thinking that He is punishing me.”
From Tessa Wadsworth's Discipline A Story of the Development of a Young Girl's Life by Jennie M. Drinkwater
