Meaning & use
punish
To make someone suffer a penalty for a crime, wrongdoing, or offense they committed.
See it in a sentence
The judge chose to punish the offender with community service instead of jail time.
Parents should explain why they punish a child, not just enforce the consequence.
A note on using this word
Punish takes a person as its object, while penalize is more often used for rule violations in formal or sporting contexts.
Words with a similar meaning
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
rewardpardon
Make it your own
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