# punitive

**Pronunciation:** /ˈpjuːnɪtɪv/ · PYOO-nih-tiv

**CEFR level:** C1

**Part of speech:** adjective

## Meaning

Inflicting or intended as punishment.

## Examples

- The government has introduced new punitive measures against tax evaders.
- He received a punitive sentence for his crimes.
- The company faced punitive fines for violating environmental regulations.

## Synonyms

- punishing — Directly related to the act of punishing.
- disciplinary — Relating to the enforcement of discipline or order.
- retributive — Characterized by or seeking retribution; vengeance.
- penal — Relating to or constituting punishment, especially by law.

## Antonyms

- lenient — Showing mercy or forbearance; not strict or severe.
- forgiving — Willing to overlook offenses or faults.
- rehabilitative — Intended to restore to good health or a good life.

## Common patterns

- punitive measures — Actions or steps taken to punish or deter. — Stricter punitive measures were put in place to discourage truancy.
- punitive damages — Money awarded in a lawsuit to punish the defendant for extreme misconduct. — The court ordered punitive damages to be paid to the injured party.
- punitive action — An act or series of acts intended to punish. — The organization threatened punitive action if its demands were not met.

## Collocations

- punitive measures — The government introduced punitive measures to combat inflation.
- punitive damages — The jury awarded significant punitive damages to the victim.
- punitive action — The military was authorized to take punitive action against the aggressors.
- punitive fine — The company was hit with a punitive fine for its illegal activities.

Canonical URL: https://anaversity.com/dictionary/english/punitive

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