punitive damages

plural noun

: damages awarded in excess of compensation to the plaintiff to punish a defendant for a serious wrong

Examples of punitive damages in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Later that afternoon, he was ordered to pay $250,000 in punitive damages. Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 10 Apr. 2025 The panel also agreed Way acted with malice, oppression or fraud, and awarded her another $250,000 in punitive damages. Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 10 Apr. 2025 Beckworth said the verdict included $280 million in compensatory damages and $1.4 billion for punitive damages to the plaintiffs. CBS News, 10 Apr. 2025 Plaintiffs also can seek punitive damages if malice, fraud, knowledge or willful avoidance can be proven. Ted Johnson, Deadline, 9 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for punitive damages

Word History

First Known Use

1858, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of punitive damages was in 1858

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Cite this Entry

“Punitive damages.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/punitive%20damages. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.

Legal Definition

punitive damages

see damage sense 2

More from Merriam-Webster on punitive damages

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