Penalizing: meaning, definitions and examples

Use this word in situations where a penalty is applied typically in a formal context like rules or regulations being broken.

• The company is penalizing employees for being late
• The government is penalizing businesses that violate health and safety regulations

This word is suitable when referring to inflicting a penalty or suffering on someone for their wrongdoing, often indicating a more general or severe action.

• The teacher will punish the student for cheating
• The judge decided to punish the criminal with a long prison sentence

Use this word in the context of a monetary charge as a punishment for an offense or violation.

• He received a fine for parking illegally
• The company had to pay a large fine for environmental violations

This word is appropriate when referring to training someone to follow rules or a code of behavior, usually through correction or instruction.

• Parents discipline their children to behave properly
• The coach disciplines the team to improve their performance

Same as the first 'penalizing', focusing on American English usage but can also imply a sense of being harsh or overreacting, sometimes carrying a negative connotation.

• Critics argue that the policy is unfairly penalizing small businesses
• The coach was criticized for overly penalizing the players after the loss

This is the British English spelling and is used similarly to 'penalizing', referring to imposing a penalty or punishment.

• The government will penalise corporations that fail to comply with the new regulations
• He was penalised for not adhering to the guidelines