punitive

Meanings

1. 1adjectivebefore a nounformal

   Meant to punish someone for something they did wrong.

   Grammar: Almost always before a noun: punitive measures, punitive action.

   Patterns

   • punitive action against someone
   • punitive measures

   The government threatened punitive action against companies that broke the rules.

   The school avoids punitive discipline and talks with students instead.

   Critics said the new law was punitive rather than helpful.

2. 2adjectivebefore a noundisapproving

   Extremely severe, especially in the sense of being very costly or heavy to bear.

   Grammar: Often describes taxes or charges that feel harsh.

   Patterns

   • punitive taxes
   • punitive rates

   The shop owners complained about punitive taxes on imports.

   The bank charged punitive interest on late payments.

   Punitive fees discouraged people from using the service.

3. 3adjectivebefore a nounlegal

   In law, describing money awarded to the injured party in addition to repayment of actual loss, in order to punish the wrongdoer.

   Grammar: Most common in the phrase punitive damages.

   Patterns

   • punitive damages

   The jury awarded punitive damages because the company had hidden the danger.

   The judge cut the punitive damages in half.

   Punitive damages are unusual in contract cases.

Common combinations

punitive damages

The plaintiff asked for punitive damages as well as compensation.

punitive measures

The council rejected punitive measures against the protesters.

punitive sanctions

The punitive sanctions hurt the country's economy.

punitive tariffs

Punitive tariffs raised the price of imported steel.

punitive expedition

The king sent a punitive expedition to the rebellious province.

Synonyms and how they differ

penal

Penal relates to punishment under the law, such as a penal code, while punitive can apply to any punishing action.

disciplinary

Disciplinary refers to correcting behavior within an organization, and is milder than punitive.

retributive

Retributive stresses paying back a wrong, and tends to sound more philosophical.

harsh

Harsh just means severe and does not state that the aim is to punish.

Opposites

Word family

punish verb

to make someone suffer for a wrong

punishment noun

a penalty for breaking a rule

punishable adjective

deserving a penalty

punitively adverb

in a manner that punishes

impunity noun

freedom from punishment

Commonly confused: punitive or puny? punitive or punctual?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “punitive”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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