penal
adjective
pe·nal ˈpē-nᵊl 
1
: of, relating to, or involving punishment, penalties, or punitive institutions
2
: liable to punishment
a penal offense
3
: used as a place of confinement and punishment
a penal colony
penally
ˈpē-nᵊl-ē
adverb 
Did you know?
A state or country's penal code defines its crimes and describes its punishments. During the 18th and 19th centuries, many countries established penal colonies, where criminals were sent as punishment. Often these were unbearably severe; but it was to such colonies that some of Australia's and the United States' early white inhabitants came, and the convicts provided labor for the European settlement of these lands.
Synonyms
- castigating
- chastening
- chastising
- correcting
- correctional
- corrective
- disciplinary
- disciplining
- penalizing
- punitive
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Australia was once a penal colony.
Recent Examples on the Web The Rwanda Food and Drug Authority was established, and relevant laws, including penal codes, were introduced. 
Umuhoza Rahmat, CNN, 13 July 2022 Indictment, to the contrary, is reserved for private wrongs — penal crimes — as to which criminal intent must be proved beyond a reasonable doubt because the penalty is to deprive the accused of liberty, a right, not a privilege. Andrew C. Mccarthy, National Review, 18 June 2022 Its production, sale, purchase, and other illicit activities trigger administrative or penal offenses. Dario Sabaghi, Forbes, 8 June 2022 Some countries, including Botswana and Gabon, have knocked down bans in recent years, but others have maintained penal codes inherited from former colonial powers. Washington Post, 14 Dec. 2021 Griner's attorneys used all of that time to file the appeal following her nine-year sentence to a Russian penal colony on drug charges on Aug. 4. Chris Bumbaca, USA TODAY, 18 Aug. 2022 The 64-year-old, who was born in a Russian Arctic penal colony that his mother had been sent to, made several trips to bring equipment to the front line. Artem Bondar, WSJ, 11 Aug. 2022 Last week, Griner was sentenced to nine years, six months in a penal colony after being convicted of carrying vape cartridges in her luggage with less than a gram of cannabis oil, although a smaller amount than Fogel, who had about 20 grams. Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Aug. 2022 In addition to a hefty fine, Griner, who was arrested in a Moscow airport in February with less than a gram of cannabis oil, was sentenced yesterday to nine years in a penal colony for drug possession and smuggling. Ellen Mcgirt, Fortune, 5 Aug. 2022 See More
Umuhoza Rahmat, CNN, 13 July 2022 Indictment, to the contrary, is reserved for private wrongs — penal crimes — as to which criminal intent must be proved beyond a reasonable doubt because the penalty is to deprive the accused of liberty, a right, not a privilege. Andrew C. Mccarthy, National Review, 18 June 2022 Its production, sale, purchase, and other illicit activities trigger administrative or penal offenses. Dario Sabaghi, Forbes, 8 June 2022 Some countries, including Botswana and Gabon, have knocked down bans in recent years, but others have maintained penal codes inherited from former colonial powers. Washington Post, 14 Dec. 2021 Griner's attorneys used all of that time to file the appeal following her nine-year sentence to a Russian penal colony on drug charges on Aug. 4. Chris Bumbaca, USA TODAY, 18 Aug. 2022 The 64-year-old, who was born in a Russian Arctic penal colony that his mother had been sent to, made several trips to bring equipment to the front line. Artem Bondar, WSJ, 11 Aug. 2022 Last week, Griner was sentenced to nine years, six months in a penal colony after being convicted of carrying vape cartridges in her luggage with less than a gram of cannabis oil, although a smaller amount than Fogel, who had about 20 grams. Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Aug. 2022 In addition to a hefty fine, Griner, who was arrested in a Moscow airport in February with less than a gram of cannabis oil, was sentenced yesterday to nine years in a penal colony for drug possession and smuggling. Ellen Mcgirt, Fortune, 5 Aug. 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin poenalis, from poena punishment — more at pain entry 1
First Known Use
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Phrases Containing penal
Kids Definition
penal
adjective
pe·nal ˈpē-nᵊl
: relating to or used for punishment
Legal Definition
penal
adjective
pe·nal ˈpēn-ᵊl
1
: of, relating to, or being punishment
penal sanctions
2
: making one (as an offender) punishable
a penal offense
also : criminal sense 2
3
: used as a place of confinement and punishment
a penal institution
penal
adjective
as in punitive
inflicting, involving, or serving as punishment Australia was once a penal colony Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- punitive
- correctional
- disciplinary
- correcting
- penalizing
- corrective
- disciplining
- chastening
- chastising
- retributive
- castigating
- retaliatory
- revengeful
- vengeful
- wrathful
- retaliative
- retributory
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- compensatory
- nonpunitive
- exculpatory
- exculpating
- remitting
- vindicating
- pardoning
- exonerating
- commuting
- condoning
- absolving
- acquitting
- reprieving