impunity
noun
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Impunity (like the words pain, penal, and punish) traces to the Latin noun poena, meaning "punishment." The Latin word, in turn, came from Greek poinē, meaning "payment" or "penalty." People acting with impunity have prompted use of the word since the 1500s. An illustrative example from 1660 penned by Englishman Roger Coke reads: "This unlimited power of doing anything with impunity, will only beget a confidence in kings of doing what they [desire]." While royals may act with impunity more easily than others, the word impunity can be applied to the lowliest of beings as well as the loftiest: "The local hollies seem to have lots of berries this year.… A single one won't harm you, but eating a handful would surely make you pretty sick, and might kill you. Birds such as robins, mockingbirds, and cedar waxwings eat them with impunity." (Karl Anderson, The Gloucester County Times, 22 Dec. 2002).
Examples of impunity in a Sentence
Chris Alexander, New York Daily News, 13 Apr. 2025
Attorneys and lawmakers fear the resulting enforcement vacuum could be used to violate rules with impunity.
—Joel Khalili, Wired News, 11 Apr. 2025
Admittedly, this did not require any great foresight; Trump’s first term had given ample warning of the looming disaster of a second coming emboldened by absolute impunity and embittered by a thirst for vengeance.
—Fintan O’Toole, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2025
Racist cops patrolled with impunity.
—Marc J. Dunkelman, TIME, 27 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for impunity
Cite this Entry
“Impunity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/impunity. Accessed 20 Apr. 2025.
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impunity
noun
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