penalty

noun

pen·​al·​ty ˈpe-nᵊl-tē How to pronounce penalty (audio)
plural penalties
1
: the suffering in person, rights, or property that is annexed by law or judicial decision to the commission of a crime or public offense
trespassing forbidden under penalty of imprisonment
2
: the suffering or the sum to be forfeited to which a person agrees to be subjected in case of nonfulfillment of stipulations
A penalty was imposed on the contractor for breach of contract.
3
a
: disadvantage, loss, or hardship due to some action
Loss of privacy is one of the penalties you pay for fame.
b
: a disadvantage (such as loss of yardage, time, or possession of the ball or an addition to or subtraction from the score) imposed on a team or competitor for violation of the rules of a sport
The team was given a penalty for the foul.
4
: points scored in bridge by the side that defeats the opposing contract
usually used in plural
penalty adjective

Examples of penalty in a Sentence

The company was given a severe penalty for the violation. They allowed him to pay back the money without a penalty. They allowed him to pay back the money without penalty. Lack of privacy is one of the penalties you pay for fame. The hockey player was given a penalty for holding.
Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
During the Biden-Harris Administration, the agency has tripled that amount, issuing nearly $225 million in penalties. Suzanne Rowan Kelleher, Forbes, 23 Oct. 2024 The big picture: American Airlines was one of the worst performers among U.S. airlines in wheelchair and scooter mishandling claims and the rate of mishandling claims, the DOT said in a release announcing the penalty for violations between 2019 and 2023. April Rubin, Axios, 23 Oct. 2024 The previous record penalty was $2 million against United Airlines in 2016, which was reduced to $700,000 after United got credit for compensating passengers and other spending. David Koenig, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2024 But the delays in deliveries caused by the grounding opened the door for airlines to cancel 737 Max orders without penalty, and that resulted in hundreds of orders being canceled. Chris Isidore, CNN, 23 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for penalty 

Word History

Etymology

Middle English penalte, from Middle French penalité, from Medieval Latin poenalitas, from Latin poenalis

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of penalty was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near penalty

Cite this Entry

“Penalty.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/penalty. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

penalty

noun
pen·​al·​ty ˈpen-ᵊl-tē How to pronounce penalty (audio)
plural penalties
1
: punishment for a crime or offense
2
: something forfeited when one fails to do what one has agreed to do
3
: disadvantage, loss, or hardship due to some action or condition
4
: a punishment or handicap given for breaking a rule in a sport or game

Legal Definition

penalty

noun
pen·​al·​ty ˈpen-ᵊl-tē How to pronounce penalty (audio)
plural penalties
1
: a punishment that is imposed on a wrongdoer by statute or judicial decision
2
: a pecuniary sum that by agreement is to be paid by a party who fails to fulfill an obligation to another and that is punitive rather than compensatory
the court declined to enforce the contractual penalty and determined actual damages instead

More from Merriam-Webster on penalty

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