punitive damages
plural noun
: damages awarded in excess of compensation to the plaintiff to punish a defendant for a serious wrong
Examples of punitive damages in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The Warren couple suing is seeking compensatory and punitive damages, while the Detroit family is seeking at least $10 million in damages.
—
Terell Bailey, CBS News, 30 Apr. 2026
OpenAI could end up owing substantial damages, including punitive damages, if a jury in California agrees that OpenAI owed a duty to report the shooter to authorities who may have acted to block the threat and protect the Canadian families.
—Robert Pearlman, ArsTechnica, 29 Apr. 2026
Doe is seeking damages exceeding $75,000, along with other punitive damages and other relief to be determined at trial.
—Lexi Nicklaus, Baltimore Sun, 28 Apr. 2026
Jurors found both Armor and its employees were negligent in delaying her transfer to a hospital and awarded her family an additional $10 million in punitive damages.
—Nichole Manna, ProPublica, 28 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for punitive damages
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Terell Bailey, CBS News, 30 Apr. 2026
OpenAI could end up owing substantial damages, including punitive damages, if a jury in California agrees that OpenAI owed a duty to report the shooter to authorities who may have acted to block the threat and protect the Canadian families.
—Robert Pearlman, ArsTechnica, 29 Apr. 2026
Doe is seeking damages exceeding $75,000, along with other punitive damages and other relief to be determined at trial.
—Lexi Nicklaus, Baltimore Sun, 28 Apr. 2026
Jurors found both Armor and its employees were negligent in delaying her transfer to a hospital and awarded her family an additional $10 million in punitive damages.
—Nichole Manna, ProPublica, 28 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for punitive damages
Cite this Entry
“Punitive damages.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/punitive%20damages. Accessed 5 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
