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Punishment: meaning, definitions and examples

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punishment

 

[ ˈpʌnɪʃmənt ]

Noun
Oxford 3000
Context #1 | Noun

legal system

The imposition of a penalty or sanction for an offense or wrongdoing, typically in the form of a fine or imprisonment.

Synonyms

penalty, retribution, sanction, sentence

Examples of usage

  • The punishment for the crime was a five-year prison sentence.
  • The judge decided to impose a heavy punishment on the defendant.
Context #2 | Noun

parenting

An action taken to discipline or correct a child's behavior, often involving consequences such as time-outs or loss of privileges.

Synonyms

chastisement, correction, discipline, reprimand

Examples of usage

  • As a form of punishment, the child was grounded for a week.
  • Effective punishment should be consistent and fair.

Translations

Translations of the word "punishment" in other languages:

🇵🇹 punição

🇮🇳 सजा

🇩🇪 Bestrafung

🇮🇩 hukuman

🇺🇦 покарання

🇵🇱 kara

🇯🇵 罰 (ばつ)

🇫🇷 punition

🇪🇸 castigo

🇹🇷 ceza

🇰🇷 처벌 (cheobeol)

🇸🇦 عقوبة

🇨🇿 trest

🇸🇰 trest

🇨🇳 处罚 (chǔfá)

🇸🇮 kaznovanje

🇮🇸 refsing

🇰🇿 жаза

🇬🇪 სასჯელი

🇦🇿 cəza

🇲🇽 castigo

Word origin

The word 'punishment' originated from the Middle English 'punisshement', which came from the Old French 'punissement' and ultimately from the Latin 'poena' meaning 'penalty'. The concept of punishment has been an integral part of human societies throughout history, serving as a means of maintaining order and justice.

See also: punishing, punitive.

Word Frequency Rank

At position #2,788, this word belongs to solid intermediate vocabulary. It's frequently used in both casual and formal contexts and is worth learning for better fluency.