penalize

verb

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

transitive verb

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

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
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
The country still has a tax structure that penalizes married couples if both individuals work full time. Rachel M. Cohen, Vox, 30 Oct. 2024 Noncitizens are prohibited from voting in federal elections by a 1996 law that penalizes offenders with heavy fines, up to one year in prison, and deportation, which Morales-Doyle says further disincentives the crime. Peter Charalambous, ABC News, 28 Oct. 2024 The central provision of this new model was a Rapid Response Labor Mechanism, or RRM, which enabled the United States to penalize private companies operating in Mexico that were denying their workers fundamental labor rights, such as freedom of association or collective bargaining. Miriam Sapiro, Foreign Affairs, 23 Oct. 2024 Additionally, employers may deduct the time lost from pay, but they are not allowed to discipline or penalize employees for the absence. Claudia Levens, Journal Sentinel, 21 Oct. 2024 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

Dictionary Entries Near penalize

Cite this Entry

“Penalize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/penalize. Accessed 7 Nov. 2024.

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!