self-punishment

noun

self-pun·​ish·​ment ˌself-ˈpə-nish-mənt 

: the act of punishing oneself

Leaving early to train for an Ironman triathlon—a masterwork of self-punishment—is, however, deeply respected.

—Kyle Smith

Life was hard enough on me without adding the burden of additional self-punishment.

—Ann Finnie

Examples of self-punishment in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

There was a quality of self-punishment to these actions. —Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 11 Aug. 2024

The effort to exonerate herself in her own mind leads her to rituals of exertion and self-punishment. —Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 11 Sep. 2024

Sure, the average man probably wouldn’t eat an entire bar of soap in the middle of a group hang as a form of self-punishment for violating bro code, but who among us doesn’t want to be accepted? —David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 10 Sep. 2024

As Chung seeks a way to grieve without self-punishment, this open-hearted, unflinching account will be a boon to others. —Barbara Vandenburgh, USA TODAY, 1 Apr. 2023

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1586, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

self-punishment

noun

self-pun·​ish·​ment -ˈpən-ish-mənt 

: punishment of oneself

masochistic self-punishment