punishable

American  

[puhn-i-shuh-buhl] / ˈpʌn ɪ ʃə bəl /

adjective

1. liable to or deserving punishment.

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ˈpunishable British  

/ ˈpʌnɪʃəbəl /

adjective

1. liable to be punished or deserving of punishment

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Other Word Forms

• nonpunishable adjective
• punishability noun
• repunishable adjective
• unpunishable adjective

Etymology

Origin of punishable

1375–1425; late Middle English. See punish, -able

Example Sentences

Sierra Leone, which had one of the world’s highest rates of child marriage, made attending or even being the DJ at the wedding of a child a punishable crime.

From The Wall Street Journal

Failure to do this is classed as an "illegal practice", which can be punishable by a fine of up to £5,000.

From BBC

Tastelessness is not punishable by law, and neither is adapting a beloved novel however a filmmaker sees fit.

From Salon

Sherman Act of 1890 made it illegal for competing companies to engage in horizontal price fixing, potentially punishable by prison time.

From The Wall Street Journal

Violating a closure order is punishable by a fine of up to $5,000 and six months in prison, although such severe punishment is rare.

From Los Angeles Times