Meaning & use
penalty box
Last updated
Meanings
nouncountablesport
In ice hockey, a bench area where players sit for a set time after breaking a rule.
Grammar: Usually used with 'the': sent to the penalty box.
Patterns
- send someone to the penalty box
- sit in the penalty box
The player was sent to the penalty box for tripping.
He spent two minutes in the penalty box.
nouncountablesport
In soccer, the rectangular area in front of the goal where the goalkeeper can use their hands and fouls can lead to a penalty kick.
Grammar: Often used with 'the': inside the penalty box.
Patterns
- inside the penalty box
- into the penalty box
The defender tackled the striker inside the penalty box.
The referee awarded a penalty for a handball in the penalty box.
Word forms
| plural | penalty boxes |
|---|
Common combinations
- send to the penalty box
- The referee sent the player to the penalty box.
- sit in the penalty box
- He sat in the penalty box for two minutes.
- inside the penalty box
- There was a foul inside the penalty box.
Synonyms and how they differ
- sin bin
- Informal British term for a penalty box in sports like hockey or rugby.
Commonly confused: penalty box or penalty area?
penalty box vs penalty area
In soccer, 'penalty area' is the more formal term for the same rectangular zone; 'penalty box' is common in everyday speech.
Practice
In ice hockey, where does a player go after committing a foul?
Choose one answer.
A player who breaks a rule is sent to the penalty box for a set time. The bench is for players not on the ice, and the locker room is where players rest between periods.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “penalty box”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.