punishing

[puhn-i-shing]

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of punishing¹

1425–75; late Middle English punyesand; punish, -ing ²

Example Sentences

Better than “Kinds of Kindness” but not nearly the triumph of “Poor Things,” this is mid Yorgos Lanthimos — off-putting, punishing and misanthropic but also featuring another showcase for Emma Stone’s bold, creative energy.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Across the ring, Rea - in rival City blue - was marked up early, heavy swelling forming under his eye as the pair traded punishing blows.

Read more on BBC

The rearmament is straining an agreement that ended a punishing two-month Israeli campaign against the group a year ago.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Badenoch said "that now looks like a lie as she is gearing up to impose more punishing tax hikes".

Read more on BBC

The stock market is committing a cardinal error: indiscriminately punishing profitable companies with documented ROI along with speculative AI startups with no path to profitability.

Read more on MarketWatch

Related Words

• brutal 
• grueling 
• punitive