as in correctional
inflicting, involving, or serving as punishment
any misbehavior was immediately met with a punitive response the company had to pay a million dollars in punitive damages
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Recent Examples of punitive
What is different today is the complicated politics surrounding that issue, the aggressive rhetoric coming from Washington, and threat of punitive measures, not diplomacy, if U.S. demands are not met.
—
Matt Robison, Newsweek, 19 Feb. 2025
If Beijing fails to deliver, Washington can always return to more punitive actions.
—Vanda Felbab-Brown, Foreign Affairs, 17 Feb. 2025
The White House has justified the punitive actions by stating that any access granted at the White House or to Trump is a privilege, not a right.
—Kevin Dolak, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 Feb. 2025
Zoom in: These moves, while punitive, are temporary and a new president can easily reverse them.
—Sara Fischer, Axios, 20 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for punitive
Matt Robison, Newsweek, 19 Feb. 2025
If Beijing fails to deliver, Washington can always return to more punitive actions.
—Vanda Felbab-Brown, Foreign Affairs, 17 Feb. 2025
The White House has justified the punitive actions by stating that any access granted at the White House or to Trump is a privilege, not a right.
—Kevin Dolak, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 Feb. 2025
Zoom in: These moves, while punitive, are temporary and a new president can easily reverse them.
—Sara Fischer, Axios, 20 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for punitive
Cite this Entry
“Punitive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/punitive. Accessed 11 Mar. 2025.
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