punish
verb (used with object)
to subject to pain, loss, confinement, death, etc., as a penalty for some offense, transgression, or fault.
punishes
-
present tense formof punish (3rd person singular).present tense
Used to describe things happening now or regularly.
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.
As portrayed by an excellent Samantha Sloyan, Margaret still punishes Carrie by frequently shoving her into a prayer closet, but she’s also more grounded in her humanity.
From Salon ● Oct. 30, 2026
“The same rate hike that helps a CD also punishes anyone carrying a credit-card balance.”
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 15, 2026
No sport punishes winning as ruthlessly as pro football.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 29, 2026
To recap: Purcell punishes a plaintiff in voting cases for being too late to court.
From Slate ● Aug. 25, 2026
The walk home is a steep one, and I wonder if it’s yet another way she punishes herself.
From "Every Day" by David Levithan
