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punitive damages
plural noun
: damages awarded in excess of compensation to the plaintiff to punish a defendant for a serious wrong
Examples of punitive damages in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Fox also noted Davis ruled that Smartmatic would not be allowed to seek punitive damages.
—Christiaan Hetzner, Fortune, 27 Sep. 2024
The case goes to trial after Davis ruled on Monday that while Smartmatic can still pursue its claims against Newsmax, the company cannot ask for punitive damages at trial.
—Alison Durkee, Forbes, 26 Sep. 2024
In the days leading up to trial, the judge handed Newsmax a major victory by eliminating the possibility of a punitive damages award, which significantly reduced any amount the network might have to pay if it is found liable for defamation.
—Marshall Cohen, CNN, 26 Sep. 2024
But Judge Eric Davis ruled Monday that there would be no punitive damages in the case and that Smartmatic would have to prove the actual financial impact of Newsmax’s actions.
—Stephen Battaglio, Los Angeles Times, 26 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for punitive damages
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'punitive damages.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1858, in the meaning defined above
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Cite this Entry
“Punitive damages.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/punitive%20damages. Accessed 5 Oct. 2024.
Legal Definition
punitive damages
see damage sense 2
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