1
as in fine
a sum of money to be paid as a punishment
the penalty for speeding is $10 for every mile over the speed limit
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in punishment
suffering, loss, or hardship imposed in response to a crime or offense
in some cases, the new penalties for drug offenses were harsher than those for violent crimes
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in disadvantage
the negative result caused by something that creates difficulty for achieving success
suffered the penalty of his decision to leave school without graduating
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of penalty
In the race, a false start off the grid box handed him a five-second penalty, setting the tone for the rest of the grand prix which was more firefighting than front-running.
—
Kanzah Maktoum, Forbes.com, 14 Apr. 2025
The new rule applies to fairs and mass events, with penalties of up to six months in jail for violations.
—Natalia Cano, Billboard, 13 Apr. 2025
His teammate Lando Norris had a more fraught race, brushing off a five second penalty to move up from sixth to third place and maintain his slender lead in the drivers’ championship.
—Issy Ronald, CNN Money, 13 Apr. 2025
There is also a penalty for late payments, which is usually .5% per late month, with a maximum of 25%.
—Jeremy Tanner, The Hill, 13 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for penalty
Kanzah Maktoum, Forbes.com, 14 Apr. 2025
The new rule applies to fairs and mass events, with penalties of up to six months in jail for violations.
—Natalia Cano, Billboard, 13 Apr. 2025
His teammate Lando Norris had a more fraught race, brushing off a five second penalty to move up from sixth to third place and maintain his slender lead in the drivers’ championship.
—Issy Ronald, CNN Money, 13 Apr. 2025
There is also a penalty for late payments, which is usually .5% per late month, with a maximum of 25%.
—Jeremy Tanner, The Hill, 13 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for penalty
Recent Examples of Synonyms for penalty
Noun
-
Federal investigators ultimately found that its officers use excessive force, discriminate against Black people, conduct stops and searches without probable cause, and arrest people purely for not having the money to pay fines.—
Topher Sanders,
ProPublica,
14 Apr. 2025
-
The violation comes with a maximum fine of $32,000.—
Regina Garcia Cano,
Chicago Tribune,
14 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Janine lost her eye as punishment at the Red Center, the training facility for Handmaids.—
Alexandra Hurtado,
People.com,
8 Apr. 2025
-
Trump announced a 10 percent tariff on China in February before doubling it to 20 percent in March as punishment for fentanyl trafficking.—
Gordon G. Chang,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Mitch Raposo: Mitch Raposo needed to negate an eight-inch reach disadvantage against Sumudaerji.—
Trent Reinsmith,
Forbes.com,
12 Apr. 2025
-
Despite its disadvantages, single living is on the rise.—
Peter McGraw,
The Conversation,
10 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Columbia University was among the first colleges to face the wrath of Donald Trump, whose administration canceled $400 million of funding and arrested two student protesters.—
Dan Alexander,
Forbes.com,
17 Apr. 2025
-
This isn’t the first time Khan has faced the wrath of India’s Hindu right.—
Rhea Mogul,
CNN Money,
7 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Another major talking point in the meeting was cost control given the expense of the current and upcoming power unit designs.—
Luke Smith,
New York Times,
11 Apr. 2025
-
Married couples split major expenses like housing, transportation and travel, and rely on dual incomes as a buffer against job loss or disability.—
Peter McGraw,
The Conversation,
10 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Penalty.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/penalty. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share