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pun·ish
 punish
- pronunciation:
- puh
nihsh
- parts of speech:
- transitive verb, intransitive verb
- features:
- Word Explorer
| part of speech: |
transitive verb |
| inflections: |
punished, punishes, punishing |
| definition 1: |
to impose a penalty on (someone) for a real or imagined offense.
He punished his child for cursing.- synonyms:
- penalize
- antonyms:
- pardon
- similar words:
- amerce, avenge, castigate, chasten, chastise, discipline, fine, fix, keelhaul, mulct, pay, scourge, sentence, tar and feather
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| definition 2: |
to impose a penalty for (a real or imagined offense).
Courts punish murder severely.- synonyms:
- penalize
- antonyms:
- excuse, forgive
- similar words:
- avenge, chastise
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| definition 3: |
to injure, harm, or treat roughly.
A long race can punish one's body.The hurricane punished the coastal towns.- synonyms:
- abuse, damage, harm, injure
- similar words:
- batter, beat up, cripple, hurt, impair, maltreat, manhandle, rough up, ruin, spoil, thrash, trounce
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| related words: |
get, plague, revenge, torment, whip |
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| part of speech: |
intransitive verb |
| definition: |
to subject someone or something to punishment.
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| derivation: |
punisher (n.) |
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