punitive
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of punitive
1615–25; < Medieval Latin pūnītīvus of punishment, equivalent to Latin pūnīt ( us ) (past participle of pūnīre to punish ) + -īvus -ive
Explanation
Punitive describes inflicting a punishment. If someone takes punitive action against you, you'll probably whine and complain — you're in trouble and you're about to get punished. An easy way to remember the meaning of punitive is that it looks like the word punish — both come from the Latin root word punire, "to inflict a penalty on." Punitive doesn't always refer to a person-to-person punishment, like a mom disciplining a child. It can also describe the unpleasant result of an action on a large scale, like the punitive effect higher taxes will have on the middle class.
Vocabulary lists containing punitive
This Week in Words: September 15 - 21, 2018
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Just Mercy
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Auggie & Me
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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.
A meeting of the Committee of Ministers in mid-September is likely to prioritise the Kavala case, but it remains to be seen whether it will debate harsh punitive measures.
From BBC ● Aug. 25, 2026
But the court reduced the $45.2 million in punitive damages awarded by a jury to $1.5 million, citing limits under Texas law.
From Salon ● Aug. 22, 2026
Compensation for physical injury is excluded from gross income, but punitive damages and any interest earned are taxable.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 17, 2026
Said is seeking compensatory and punitive damages along with her attorneys’ fees.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026
Death row is the most restrictive punitive confinement permitted.
From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson
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.
