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punitive

/ˈpju.nɪ.tɪv/adjective3 syllables

Punitive means: inflicting punishment.

Synonyms for punitive12

adjective, as in inflicting punishment

punitory, correctional, penal, penitentiary, retaliatory, retaliative, retributive, retributory, vindicatory

also used for punitive

castigatory, punishmental, vindictive

Includes material from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Opposites of punitive

rehabilitative

What does punitive mean?1

adjective

1

inflicting punishment“punitive justice”

Definitions from the Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Punitive in a sentence

  • There’s been no claim for punitive damages, only compensatory.MrShoval
  • We award punitive damages in the amount of two million dollars.MrShoval
  • War crimes should trigger sanctions as a punitive measure.Amastan
  • We are paying punitive damages of two million dollars.Danika_Dakika
  • Jail is a very harsh punitive measure.ulyssemc1
  • The US didn't take any punitive actions towards Algeria.Amastan
  • The terms of the loan were punitive.sundown
  • The British organized a punitive expedition.Amastan

Sentences from Tatoeba, CC BY 2.0 FR, credited to their authors.