punishment

American  

[puhn-ish-muhnt] / ˈpʌn ɪʃ mənt /

noun

1. the act of punishing. punishing.

2. the fact of being punished, as for an offense or fault.

3. a penalty inflicted for an offense, fault, etc.

4. severe handling or treatment.

---

punishment British  

/ ˈpʌnɪʃmənt /

noun

1. a penalty or sanction given for any crime or offence

2. the act of punishing or state of being punished

3. informal rough treatment

4. psychol any aversive stimulus administered to an organism as part of training

---

punishment Idioms  

1. see glutton for punishment.

---

Other Word Forms

• nonpunishment noun
• overpunishment noun
• prepunishment noun
• propunishment adjective
• repunishment noun
• self-punishment noun

Etymology

Origin of punishment

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English punysshement, from Anglo-French punisement, Old French punissement; equivalent to punish + -ment

Example Sentences

"If there is anything that warrants punishment, then there should be punishment."

From Barron's

Under South Korean law, prosecutors had three punishment options to recommend to the panel of district-court judges: the death penalty or life behind bars, with or without prison labor.

From The Wall Street Journal

The Associated Press estimated that the total monetary losses for all aspects of Koepka’s punishment has a value of at least $50 million.

From MarketWatch

“I never, ever have had the feeling that my punishment was just and measured,” Hellerstein said on a podcast in 2020.

From The Wall Street Journal

In the plea agreement, signed Wednesday, the U.S. attorney’s office is asking for home confinement as Claustro’s punishment.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• abuse
• beating
• discipline
• forfeiture
• retribution
• sanction
• suffering
• torture
• trial