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
These cries include Executive Orders prohibiting DEI, legal action with the threat of punitive damages for non-compliance, and ongoing pivots around the place (or lack thereof) of DEI in the workplace.
—
Simone E. Morris, Forbes.com, 1 Apr. 2025
The lawsuit seeks damages, including punitive damages against the officers, but a dollar amount is not specified.
—Phil Helsel, NBC news, 27 Mar. 2025
On March 19, the jury found after about two hours of deliberations that Harden committed fraud and directed him to pay $900,000 in punitive damages to Santopietro.
—City News Service, Oc Register, 25 Mar. 2025
The plaintiff, who is being represented by Evan Brustein and Marion Conde da Silveira, is seeking compensation for severe emotional distress, punitive damages and attorneys’ fees incurred in the litigation.
—Lesley Cosme Torres, People.com, 25 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for punitive damages
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.
Simone E. Morris, Forbes.com, 1 Apr. 2025
The lawsuit seeks damages, including punitive damages against the officers, but a dollar amount is not specified.
—Phil Helsel, NBC news, 27 Mar. 2025
On March 19, the jury found after about two hours of deliberations that Harden committed fraud and directed him to pay $900,000 in punitive damages to Santopietro.
—City News Service, Oc Register, 25 Mar. 2025
The plaintiff, who is being represented by Evan Brustein and Marion Conde da Silveira, is seeking compensation for severe emotional distress, punitive damages and attorneys’ fees incurred in the litigation.
—Lesley Cosme Torres, People.com, 25 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for punitive damages
Cite this Entry
“Punitive damages.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/punitive%20damages. Accessed 6 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share