penalize

verb

pe·​nal·​ize ˈpē-nə-ˌlīz How to pronounce penalize (audio) ˈpe- How to pronounce penalize (audio)
penalized; penalizing
Synonyms of penalizenext

transitive verb

1
: to inflict a penalty on
2
: to put at a serious disadvantage
penalization noun

Synonyms of penalize

Examples of penalize in a Sentence

The company was penalized for not paying taxes. The hockey player was penalized for holding. This law would unfairly penalize immigrants.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Coming into the game, Atlanta had been penalized 73 times, the sixth-fewest number in the league. Alex Valdes, New York Times, 12 Dec. 2025 Those products have been exempted from tax since 1993 as part of China’s one-child policy, which heavily penalized families for having more than one child from 1980 to 2015. Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 12 Dec. 2025 Seattle’s Pride Weekend celebrations, announced by the city’s organizing committee months before matches were assigned, have collided with the legal and societal norms of Iran and Egypt, countries that criminalize or severely penalize LGBTQ+ identities. Amir Daftari, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Dec. 2025 Four European countries boycott Eurovision over Israel’s participation Enduring global conflicts have renewed debates and spurred difficult decisions on whether to penalize sporting and cultural figures for their governments’ actions. semafor.com, 8 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for penalize

Word History

First Known Use

1888, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of penalize was in 1888

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Penalize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/penalize. Accessed 19 Dec. 2025.

Kids Definition

penalize

verb
pe·​nal·​ize ˈpēn-ᵊl-ˌīz How to pronounce penalize (audio) ˈpen- How to pronounce penalize (audio)
penalized; penalizing
1
: to give a penalty to
2
: to place at a disadvantage

More from Merriam-Webster on penalize

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!