punitive
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
- nonpunitive adjective
- nonpunitory adjective
- punitively adverb
- punitiveness noun
- self-punitive adjective
- semipunitive adjective
- semipunitory adjective
- unpunitive adjective
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.
The stock’s underperformance versus the broader megacap tech group, which has lost around 10% this year, “appears punitive to us, considering the scope of positive profitability revisions ahead.”
From Barron's • Apr. 10, 2026
It awarded $6 million in compensatory and punitive damages to a 20-year-old woman, known as K.G.M., who began using YouTube at age 6 and Instagram at 9.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026
Jobcentre users I've spoken to have painted a picture of them as frightening, punitive environments, where people are told what they must do, or face losing their benefits.
From BBC • Mar. 30, 2026
The lawsuit also seeks $7 million in punitive damages.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 27, 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.
