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punishment
/ˈpʌnɪʃmənt/
penalty for wrongdoing
The teacher gave the student detention as a punishment for cheating on the test.
The teacher imposed a penalty on the student for dishonest behavior during the exam.
Law
formal
The act of imposing a penalty for an offense or crime.
Under the new law, repeat offenders face severe punishment.
The legislation mandates harsher penalties for those who commit crimes repeatedly.
Often used in legal, educational, or disciplinary contexts to describe consequences for breaking rules.
general
A penalty inflicted for an offense or fault.
She accepted her punishment without complaint.
She endured the consequences of her actions calmly.
Can refer to any form of retribution, whether formal or informal.
Collocations
capital punishmentexecution as a penalty for a crimecorporal punishmentphysical discipline, often in schools or homesharsh punishmentsevere consequencesdeserve punishmentbe due for consequences
Antonyms
Pro Tip
Avoid overgeneralizing
Do not confuse 'punishment' with 'consequence'. Punishment is typically intentional and tied to blame, whereas consequences can be neutral outcomes of actions.
Gold Rule
Context matters
In legal contexts, 'punishment' refers to official sanctions (e.g., imprisonment). In everyday language, it can describe informal consequences (e.g., 'His punishment for being late was missing the movie').
Word Origin
From Old French *punissement* (12th c.), derived from Latin *punire* ('to punish'), from *poena* ('penalty'). The Latin root also gave rise to 'pain' and 'penal'.
Usage Notes
Punishment implies a deliberate imposition of suffering or loss as a response to wrongdoing. It can be legal (e.g., fines, imprisonment), social (e.g., ostracism), or personal (e.g., self-punishment). Avoid using it casually to mean 'disappointment' or 'setback'.
Word Breakdown
punish-
to impose a penalty
root-ment
result or act of
suffixEnglish Dictionary