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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
If you are injured in a car crash and collect $50,000 in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive damages, the former is tax-free. Robert W. Wood, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2025 The plaintiff has filed her suit under the New York City Victims of Gender-Motivated Violence Protection Law and is seeking punitive damages. Toria Sheffield, People.com, 24 Feb. 2025 Moore is seeking $5 million in punitive damages per song and $150,000 per willful infringement. Cheyenne Roundtree, Rolling Stone, 22 Feb. 2025 The civil lawsuit requests actual and statutory damages, including up to $150,000 per willful infringement and punitive damages of $5 million per song. Thania Garcia, Variety, 21 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for punitive damages

Word History

First Known Use

1858, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of punitive damages was in 1858

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Cite this Entry

“Punitive damages.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/punitive%20damages. Accessed 27 Feb. 2025.

Legal Definition

punitive damages

see damage sense 2

More from Merriam-Webster on punitive damages

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