punisher

American  

[puhn-i-sher] / ˈpʌn ɪ ʃər /

noun

1. a person who inflicts a penalty, such as pain, confinement, etc..

   If your response is delayed, the dog will link the punishment to the punisher and not to the transgression.

2. Sports. a person who plays or hits aggressively.

   The player is destined to be an all-American and an all-around punisher in the league.

3. a thing that inflicts pain, discomfort, etc..

   I ran out of time on the test because of one punisher—a question I should have left for last.

4. something that deters or dissuades.

   Any stimulus which makes the behavior it follows more frequent is a reinforcer, even if it is intended as a punisher.

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Other Word Forms

• self-punisher
  noun

Etymology

Origin of punisher

punish ( def. ) + -er ¹ ( def. )

Example Sentences

On Saturday, the 6-foot, 218-pound punisher totaled 129 rushing yards … before contact.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 5, 2023

We all suddenly knew our great friendly teacher was a punisher.

From Washington Post • Dec. 28, 2022

While not a system punisher by a long shot, it ran at almost 200 frames per second and looked fantastic on the high refresh rate display.

From The Verge • Aug. 18, 2022

Mr. Smith wrote that he had another, less public, side: “the General,” a punisher who emerged when joviality didn’t get the job done.

From New York Times • Apr. 2, 2022

Oft hast thou taunted me with fostering him To be thy punisher.

From The Seven Plays in English Verse by Sophocles