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.
"Punitive proposals like these are not effective against organized or transnational crime," said criminologist Erika Solis of the Catholic University of Peru.
From Barron's • Mar. 26, 2026
Punitive tariffs on some Australian exports have been lifted in recent days, and last month Beijing released a jailed Australian journalist after three years of imprisonment on unclear charges.
From Washington Times • Nov. 8, 2023
"Punitive trade measures will be lifted," said a Canadian government source familiar with the agreement who was not authorized to speak on the record.
From Reuters • May 24, 2023
Punitive damages are generally limited to attorneys fees for emotional distress and defamation, but there is no cap on such damages under the Unfair Trade Practices Act, which bars deceptive business practices and unfair competition.
From Seattle Times • Nov. 7, 2022
Punitive expeditions are not organised in the event of slight fevers or even serious illness—only when the patient dies.
From The Adventures of Louis De Rougemont by Rougemont, Louis de
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.
