impunity
noun
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Impunity (like the words pain, penal, and punish) traces to the Latin noun poena, meaning "punishment." The Latin word, in turn, came from Greek poinē, meaning "payment" or "penalty." People acting with impunity have prompted use of the word since the 1500s. An illustrative example from 1660 penned by Englishman Roger Coke reads: "This unlimited power of doing anything with impunity, will only beget a confidence in kings of doing what they [desire]." While royals may act with impunity more easily than others, the word impunity can be applied to the lowliest of beings as well as the loftiest: "The local hollies seem to have lots of berries this year.… A single one won't harm you, but eating a handful would surely make you pretty sick, and might kill you. Birds such as robins, mockingbirds, and cedar waxwings eat them with impunity." (Karl Anderson, The Gloucester County Times, 22 Dec. 2002).
Examples of impunity in a Sentence
Nick Ashbourne, The Athletic, 22 Dec. 2024
For residents in northwestern Pakistan, the resurgence of violence has reignited haunting memories of 10 years ago, when insurgents operated with impunity, creating a climate of fear.
—Zia Ur-Rehman, New York Times, 21 Dec. 2024
Cherry-picking what represents genocide sends the wrong message to despots and would-be aggressors who see that type of validation as a green light to act with impunity and dismiss oversight from international regulators and legal authorities.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 12 Dec. 2024
How did the British harass people on the street, shut down businesses, instill curfews, and operate with impunity?
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 11 Dec. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Impunity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/impunity. Accessed 26 Dec. 2024.
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impunity
noun
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