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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

Investors have spent months punishing Oracle’s stock in reaction to the company’s pivot to artificial-intelligence infrastructure, but one analyst thinks the company will prove the doubters wrong.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 30, 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

But Harper's salvo proved to be in vain as Venezuela regained the lead in the ninth inning, punishing a shaky performance from US reliever Garrett Whitlock to clinch victory.

From Barron's • Mar. 18, 2026

“There is the possibility that he would have to pay twice for the same lute. There is no justice in that. It would be punishing him twice for the same thing.”

From "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss

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.