penalty

noun

pen·​al·​ty ˈpe-nᵊl-tē How to pronounce penalty (audio)
plural penalties
1
: the suffering in person, rights, or property that is annexed by law or judicial decision to the commission of a crime or public offense
trespassing forbidden under penalty of imprisonment
2
: the suffering or the sum to be forfeited to which a person agrees to be subjected in case of nonfulfillment of stipulations
A penalty was imposed on the contractor for breach of contract.
3
a
: disadvantage, loss, or hardship due to some action
Loss of privacy is one of the penalties you pay for fame.
b
: a disadvantage (such as loss of yardage, time, or possession of the ball or an addition to or subtraction from the score) imposed on a team or competitor for violation of the rules of a sport
The team was given a penalty for the foul.
4
: points scored in bridge by the side that defeats the opposing contract
usually used in plural
penalty adjective

Examples of penalty in a Sentence

The company was given a severe penalty for the violation. They allowed him to pay back the money without a penalty. They allowed him to pay back the money without penalty. Lack of privacy is one of the penalties you pay for fame. The hockey player was given a penalty for holding.
Recent Examples on the Web Today is his deadline to pay a $454 billion penalty for his civil fraud trial. Suzanne Nuyen, NPR, 25 Mar. 2024 If there are any penalties on the kickoff, the kicker will be the only one who moves. Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 25 Mar. 2024 With less than 60 seconds to go, the Spirit played a long ball from the back that landed at the top of the penalty area. Jason Mastrodonato, The Mercury News, 24 Mar. 2024 If Trump can’t post the bond by Monday, New York Attorney General Letitia James can begin collecting the penalty from last month’s case. USA TODAY, 23 Mar. 2024 If Ward’s bill passes, victims of hate littering could pursue a claim for up to $25,000 in penalties and other civil remedies. Lyndsay Winkley, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Mar. 2024 However, the penalty that the bank charges is considered to be a deduction (no itemization required). Michelle Singletary, Washington Post, 22 Mar. 2024 Justice Scalia had suggested that the Arizona measures did not conflict with federal law but simply added state penalties to help enforce existing federal restrictions. J. David Goodman, New York Times, 20 Mar. 2024 Dallas Seavey overcame killing a moose and receiving a time penalty to win the Iditarod on Tuesday, a record-breaking sixth championship in the world's most famous sled dog race. CBS News, 12 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'penalty.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English penalte, from Middle French penalité, from Medieval Latin poenalitas, from Latin poenalis

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of penalty was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near penalty

Cite this Entry

“Penalty.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/penalty. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

penalty

noun
pen·​al·​ty ˈpen-ᵊl-tē How to pronounce penalty (audio)
plural penalties
1
: punishment for a crime or offense
2
: something forfeited when one fails to do what one has agreed to do
3
: disadvantage, loss, or hardship due to some action or condition
4
: a punishment or handicap given for breaking a rule in a sport or game

Legal Definition

penalty

noun
pen·​al·​ty ˈpen-ᵊl-tē How to pronounce penalty (audio)
plural penalties
1
: a punishment that is imposed on a wrongdoer by statute or judicial decision
2
: a pecuniary sum that by agreement is to be paid by a party who fails to fulfill an obligation to another and that is punitive rather than compensatory
the court declined to enforce the contractual penalty and determined actual damages instead

More from Merriam-Webster on penalty

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!