Punitive: meaning, definitions and examples

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punitive

 

[ ˈpjuː.nɪ.tɪv ]

Adjective
Context #1 | Adjective

legal system

Inflicting or intended as punishment.

Synonyms

disciplinary, penal, retaliatory

Examples of usage

  • The judge imposed a punitive fine on the company for violating environmental regulations.
  • The punitive measures taken against the protestors were criticized by human rights organizations.
  • The punitive actions of the authoritarian regime were condemned by the international community.
Context #2 | Adjective

behavior

Intended to punish or penalize someone.

Synonyms

chastising, corrective, punishing

Examples of usage

  • She received a punitive response from her boss for missing the deadline.
  • The teacher's punitive approach to discipline caused fear among the students.
  • The coach's punitive training methods were questioned by the athletes.

Translations

Translations of the word "punitive" in other languages:

🇵🇹 punitivo

🇮🇳 दंडात्मक

🇩🇪 strafend

🇮🇩 bersifat hukuman

🇺🇦 каральний

🇵🇱 karzący

🇯🇵 懲罰的な

🇫🇷 punitif

🇪🇸 punitivo

🇹🇷 cezalandırıcı

🇰🇷 처벌적인

🇸🇦 عقابي

🇨🇿 trestající

🇸🇰 trestajúci

🇨🇳 惩罚性的

🇸🇮 kaznovalni

🇮🇸 refsingar-

🇰🇿 жазалаушы

🇬🇪 დასჯითი

🇦🇿 cəza verici

🇲🇽 punitivo

Etymology

The word 'punitive' originates from the Latin word 'punitivus', which is derived from the verb 'punire' meaning 'to punish'. The concept of punitive measures has been present in legal systems throughout history, as a way to deter and penalize individuals or entities for wrongdoing. Punitive actions can vary in severity, from fines and penalties to more severe forms of punishment. The use of punitive measures is often a topic of debate, as the balance between justice and excessive punishment is constantly evaluated.

See also: punishing, punishment.

Word Frequency Rank

Ranked #10,061, this word falls into high-advanced vocabulary. It appears less frequently but is valuable for expressing precise meanings in specific contexts.