punishmentnoun
uk/ˈpʌn.ɪʃ.mənt/us/ˈpʌn.ɪʃ.mənt/punishment noun (CRIME)
B2 [ C or U ] the act of punishing someone:
Many people think that the death penalty is too severe a punishment for any crime.
formal It was always our father who administered/meted out punishments.
Drink-driving is one case in which severe punishment seems to work as a deterrent.
More examples
- He advocates the return of capital punishment.
- I hope they get the punishment they deserve.
- We thought the punishment was rather harsh for such a minor offence.
- The severity of the punishment should match the seriousness of the crime.
- Obviously what she did was wrong, but I don't think it warranted quite such severe punishment.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Punishing & punishments
- bar
- be brought/called to account idiom
- boot
- bring
- bum rap
- carrot
- chastise
- clobber
- crucify
- heads will roll! idiom
- kick
- kick (some) ass idiom
- non-custodial
- parking ticket
- penal
- string
- strip
- throw
- throw the book at sb idiom
- wheel clamp
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punishment noun (BAD TREATMENT)
[ U ] rough treatment:
These trucks are designed to take a lot of punishment.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Damaging and spoiling
- adulterate
- alloy
- at the expense of sb idiom
- at-risk
- bandh
- bang up sb/sth
- gild the lily idiom
- gloss
- gnaw
- gnaw away at sth
- go west idiom
- goonda
- poison
- ruin
- scourge
- shatter
- shoot sth up
- shred
- sour
- tell on sb
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