as in punishes
to inflict a penalty on for a fault or crime
the player was penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct
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Recent Examples of penalizes
During the two hours of debate in the House on Tuesday, the bill’s supporters declared that income tax is the most destructive tax that penalizes productivity.
—
Jack Harvel, Kansas City Star, 21 Apr. 2026
California law penalizes abuse of a child under 14 especially harshly.
—Andrew Dalton, Chicago Tribune, 20 Apr. 2026
The bill also targets and penalizes repair shops that modify exhaust systems to exceed legal noise levels.
—Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 8 Apr. 2026
Zillow allegedly monitors agent communications and penalizes those who recommend outside lenders.
—New York Daily News, 21 Mar. 2026
By taxing those inputs, the policy effectively penalizes domestic production.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 19 Feb. 2026
But because the ban penalizes corporations, not consumers who break the rules, ban-repeal advocates may have a harder time drawing a coalition of cross-partisan support.
—Keith Humphreys, The Atlantic, 2 Feb. 2026
The picture shows a workforce under strain, marked by anxiety taking earned time off, cultural pressure that penalizes caregiving responsibilities and workplace norms that quietly discourage flexibility rather than protect it.
—Bryan Robinson, Forbes.com, 19 Jan. 2026
Taboo Words This game penalizes players who say the wrong words.
—Mary Alice Russell, Southern Living, 28 Dec. 2025
Jack Harvel, Kansas City Star, 21 Apr. 2026
California law penalizes abuse of a child under 14 especially harshly.
—Andrew Dalton, Chicago Tribune, 20 Apr. 2026
The bill also targets and penalizes repair shops that modify exhaust systems to exceed legal noise levels.
—Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 8 Apr. 2026
Zillow allegedly monitors agent communications and penalizes those who recommend outside lenders.
—New York Daily News, 21 Mar. 2026
By taxing those inputs, the policy effectively penalizes domestic production.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 19 Feb. 2026
But because the ban penalizes corporations, not consumers who break the rules, ban-repeal advocates may have a harder time drawing a coalition of cross-partisan support.
—Keith Humphreys, The Atlantic, 2 Feb. 2026
The picture shows a workforce under strain, marked by anxiety taking earned time off, cultural pressure that penalizes caregiving responsibilities and workplace norms that quietly discourage flexibility rather than protect it.
—Bryan Robinson, Forbes.com, 19 Jan. 2026
Taboo Words This game penalizes players who say the wrong words.
—Mary Alice Russell, Southern Living, 28 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for penalizes
punishes
Verb
-
Some argue that banning conversion therapy punishes ideas instead of actions.—
A.J. Russo,
Baltimore Sun,
13 Apr. 2026
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Power washing your home is one of those projects that looks simple but punishes shortcuts.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Charlotte Observer,
9 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Penalizes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/penalizes. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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