punishing
Americanadjective
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of punishing
Explanation
Something punishing is extremely physically difficult to do. On a very hot, humid day, even a 5K is a punishing race to run. Anything that exhausts you because it's so demanding can be described with the adjective punishing. A punishing hike leaves you gasping and applying bandages to your blisters. A punishing argument with your family is more mentally arduous. Sometimes, punishing things weaken or debilitate: "The lack of snow had a punishing result for the ski industry." Rarely, punishing also means "leading to punishment."
Vocabulary lists containing punishing
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.
It was erected during the final week of April, when one of Trump Doral’s four golf courses—the Blue Monster, famous for its punishing water hazards—hosted the PGA Championship.
From Slate • Jun. 2, 2026
Bollywood has long been known for punishing schedules, with shifts often stretching from 12 to 18 hours and, at times, continuing for more than a day during intensive shoots.
From Barron's • Jun. 2, 2026
The club was not punishing them; they had to reset the order of priorities and no player would be above the team.
From BBC • May 29, 2026
A punishing hangover from pandemic-era overinvestment had already left the gaming industry reeling.
From MarketWatch • May 23, 2026
“It is all right” said the Wart again, disgusted by the fuss, but fate was bent on punishing him, and the old lady was inexorable.
From "The Once and Future King" by T. H. White
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.
