A penalty to punish wrongdoing, especially for crime.
Used in a Sentence
punishments
Definitions, parts of speech, synonyms, and sentence examples for punishments.
Editorial note
We commonly use deterrence as a means to justify strict punishments when convicting drug crimes, but politicians\law enforcement\etc seem to avoid these dragnets.
Examples18
Definitions4
Parts of speech1
Quick take
A penalty to punish wrongdoing, especially for crime.
Meaning at a glance
The clearest senses and uses of punishments gathered in one view.
A suffering by pain or loss imposed as retribution.
(figuratively) Any harsh treatment or experience; rough handling.
Definitions
Core meanings and parts of speech for punishments.
noun
A penalty to punish wrongdoing, especially for crime.
noun
A suffering by pain or loss imposed as retribution.
noun
(figuratively) Any harsh treatment or experience; rough handling.
noun
The act (action) or process of punishing, imposing and/or applying a sanction, typically by an authority or a person in authority (for example: a parent or teacher), especially when disappointed or dissatisfied with the behavior or actions of a child, student, or someone else being looked after.
Example sentences
We commonly use deterrence as a means to justify strict punishments when convicting drug crimes, but politicians\law enforcement\etc seem to avoid these dragnets.
It's a system by which they can carry out administrative punishments like community service, suspension, or expulsion.
US taxes contribute more to violent deaths and unnecessary punishments/imprisonments per dollar than taxes paid in most other countries.
We should focus on prevention and obviation (you can't steal what isn't there) over severe punishments.
What you're describing (your girlfriend devising her own extra-judicial punishments for criminals' sexual harrassment) isn't a criminal justice system, it's thuggery.
Ratios of punishments for different crimes matter as well as the absolute value.
Men should receive much harsher punishments than women for committing the same crimes.
If you rally against it, make absolute laws against it, enforce them perfectly with the most terrible punishments – it's still going to happen.
In fact I would love to be persuaded, the social punishments for disliking feminism are steep.
You can say you don't believe in deterrents, but you surely cannot believe that it's good to have punishments that encourage to commit more crimes.
Prosecutions are rare, but they do occur and punishments can range from a $10 fine in Maryland to life imprisonment in Michigan, according to Mother Jones.
The punishments and standards of evidence differ quite a bit.
Quote examples
Impacts that would be "small" on the individual scale are seismic at Google-scale, and the punishments must reflect this.
For instance, big punishments are handed down for small crimes to "make an example" which discourages others.
Administrative punishments should only be meted out for administrative "crimes" (cheating, violating housing agreements, etc) that have no corresponding crime in the criminal code.
Whatever the "restrictions" spelled out in there, and whatever the "punishments", this document gives (or lets keep) everything Iran needs to continue developing nuclear weapons.
Proper noun examples
Punishments: Intentional inclusion of security holes should be treated as a criminal act.
Punishments for crimes are not merely deterrents; that is a secondary role.
Frequently asked questions
Short answers drawn from the clearest meanings and examples for this word.
How do you use punishments in a sentence?
We commonly use deterrence as a means to justify strict punishments when convicting drug crimes, but politicians\law enforcement\etc seem to avoid these dragnets.
What does punishments mean?
A penalty to punish wrongdoing, especially for crime.
What part of speech is punishments?
punishments is commonly used as noun.