as in penalizes
to inflict a penalty on for a fault or crime
the child was punished for breaking dishes on purpose if caught, the thief will be severely punished
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Recent Examples of punishes
Some argue that banning conversion therapy punishes ideas instead of actions.
—
A.j. Russo, Baltimore Sun, 13 Apr. 2026
Power washing your home is one of those projects that looks simple but punishes shortcuts.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Charlotte Observer, 9 Apr. 2026
Targeting property Iran’s judiciary has begun seizing the property of public figures critical of the country’s rulers, under an anti-espionage law approved during last year’s 12-day war with Israel that punishes media and cultural activities deemed to support Iran’s enemies.
—Amir-Hussein Radjy, Los Angeles Times, 5 Apr. 2026
Iran’s judiciary has begun seizing the property of public figures critical of the country's rulers, under an anti-espionage law approved during last year’s 12-day war with Israel that punishes media and cultural activities deemed to support Iran's enemies.
—ABC News, 4 Apr. 2026
Ishika Samant / Getty Images file Baseball already has a luxury tax in place that punishes big spending.
—Andrew Greif, NBC news, 28 Mar. 2026
Under the current federal tax code, monetary mutual aid transactions fall into a legal gray zone that often punishes those being helped.
—Shelly Sitton-Tygielski, Time, 25 Mar. 2026
The Red Raiders will miss JT Toppin’s presence on the glass, but Alabama isn’t typically a team that punishes opponents heavily in that area anyway.
—Tobias Bass, New York Times, 22 Mar. 2026
In the most ironic misalignment, the industry celebrates the myth of the lone auteur and then punishes anyone who actually tries to be one.
—Daren Smith, IndieWire, 18 Mar. 2026
A.j. Russo, Baltimore Sun, 13 Apr. 2026
Power washing your home is one of those projects that looks simple but punishes shortcuts.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Charlotte Observer, 9 Apr. 2026
Targeting property Iran’s judiciary has begun seizing the property of public figures critical of the country’s rulers, under an anti-espionage law approved during last year’s 12-day war with Israel that punishes media and cultural activities deemed to support Iran’s enemies.
—Amir-Hussein Radjy, Los Angeles Times, 5 Apr. 2026
Iran’s judiciary has begun seizing the property of public figures critical of the country's rulers, under an anti-espionage law approved during last year’s 12-day war with Israel that punishes media and cultural activities deemed to support Iran's enemies.
—ABC News, 4 Apr. 2026
Ishika Samant / Getty Images file Baseball already has a luxury tax in place that punishes big spending.
—Andrew Greif, NBC news, 28 Mar. 2026
Under the current federal tax code, monetary mutual aid transactions fall into a legal gray zone that often punishes those being helped.
—Shelly Sitton-Tygielski, Time, 25 Mar. 2026
The Red Raiders will miss JT Toppin’s presence on the glass, but Alabama isn’t typically a team that punishes opponents heavily in that area anyway.
—Tobias Bass, New York Times, 22 Mar. 2026
In the most ironic misalignment, the industry celebrates the myth of the lone auteur and then punishes anyone who actually tries to be one.
—Daren Smith, IndieWire, 18 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for punishes
Verb
-
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
Verb
-
Whether the league responds to Booker’s complaints — or fines him for them — the conversation around officiating in this series is far from over.—
Hanna Wickes,
Miami Herald,
23 Apr. 2026
-
The state of California also fines taxpayers who didn’t withhold enough from their paychecks, with rates varying by offense.—
Alexiah Syrai Olsen,
Sacbee.com,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
OpenAI memo criticizes Anthropic watch now Choose CNBC as your preferred source on Google and never miss a moment from the most trusted name in business news.—
Ashley Capoot,
CNBC,
20 Apr. 2026
-
Schiavo raised a similar concern, noting that the National Transportation Safety Board regularly criticizes the Federal Aviation Administration and other regulators for not implementing obvious solutions, even after accidents occur.—
Zach Wichter,
USA Today,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Levinson’s series has long trafficked as a kind of smutty after-school special, not unlike how Ryan Murphy delves into some of the nastiest gore imaginable and then chastises us for watching.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
8 Apr. 2026
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When a stranger chastises them for not wearing hijabs in public, Pari and Hanna can barely manage to stifle a laugh.—
David Ehrlich,
IndieWire,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The case now goes to a hearing scheduled for June 1, where his attorneys will be allowed to argue his life be spared before Munyon formally sentences him.—
Cristóbal Reyes,
The Orlando Sentinel,
14 Apr. 2026
-
The Seoul Central District Court sentences Yoon to five years in prison for resisting arrest and fabricating the martial law proclamation, the first verdict against Yoon.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
This version corrects the name of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, and corrects to say India is the world’s second-largest LPG importer.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
27 Apr. 2026
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Discover the altered gene, place healthy versions of the gene into innocuous viruses, give those to patients, hope that kickstarts the CFTR protein and corrects the problem.—
Courtney Crowder,
USA Today,
10 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Punishes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/punishes. Accessed 3 May. 2026.
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