as in correctional
inflicting, involving, or serving as punishment
any misbehavior was immediately met with a punitive response the company had to pay a million dollars in punitive damages
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Recent Examples of punitive
During election seasons, calling for enhanced punitive measures—whether those are mandatory minimum sentences or the death penalty—have frequently proved politically expedient for both sides of the political aisle.
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TIME, 10 Feb. 2025
Ramon did not impose any monetary bail to be posted, after Allen Sawyer, Rosenfeld’s co-counsel at trial, argued that such a requirement would be punitive in light of Stubblefield’s finances being severely diminished by his incarceration.
—Robert Salonga, The Mercury News, 8 Feb. 2025
Many Syrians are also calling for the U.S. and Europe to lift longstanding sanctions placed on the country, saying the punitive measures were imposed against the former Assad regime, and should now be removed.
—Jawad Rizkallah, NPR, 4 Feb. 2025
The delay comes after the two countries agreed to take steps toward preventing the trafficking of fentanyl into the U.S.
Return salvo from China
China responded to Trump’s 10% tariffs — which will go on top of existing ones — with a series of punitive measures.
—Yeo Boon Ping, CNBC, 4 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for punitive
TIME, 10 Feb. 2025
Ramon did not impose any monetary bail to be posted, after Allen Sawyer, Rosenfeld’s co-counsel at trial, argued that such a requirement would be punitive in light of Stubblefield’s finances being severely diminished by his incarceration.
—Robert Salonga, The Mercury News, 8 Feb. 2025
Many Syrians are also calling for the U.S. and Europe to lift longstanding sanctions placed on the country, saying the punitive measures were imposed against the former Assad regime, and should now be removed.
—Jawad Rizkallah, NPR, 4 Feb. 2025
The delay comes after the two countries agreed to take steps toward preventing the trafficking of fentanyl into the U.S.
Return salvo from China
China responded to Trump’s 10% tariffs — which will go on top of existing ones — with a series of punitive measures.
—Yeo Boon Ping, CNBC, 4 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for punitive
Cite this Entry
“Punitive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/punitive. Accessed 4 Mar. 2025.
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