Punitive
adjective
Related to punishment; using punishment to correct wrong behavior.
The government imposed punitive taxes on products with high carbon emissions.
Often appears as...
- punitive action
- punitive measure
Usage tips
Formal, Disapproving
adjective
Very high or excessive, with the purpose of being a warning or punishment.
The company faced punitive fines for non-compliance with the new regulations.
Often appears as...
- punitive fines
- punitive interest rates
Usage tips
Formal, Disapproving
Academic
adjective
Intended to inflict harm or suffering as a punishment or like retaliation.
The court awarded punitive damages in addition to compensatory damages.
Often appears as...
- punitive damages
- punitive action in court
Usage tips
Formal
Technical
adjective
Related to punishment; using punishment to correct wrong behavior.
The government imposed punitive taxes on products with high carbon emissions.
Often appears as...
- punitive action
- punitive measure
Usage tips
Formal, Disapproving
adjective
Very high or excessive, with the purpose of being a warning or punishment.
The company faced punitive fines for non-compliance with the new regulations.
Often appears as...
- punitive fines
- punitive interest rates
Usage tips
Formal, Disapproving
Academic
adjective
Intended to inflict harm or suffering as a punishment or like retaliation.
The court awarded punitive damages in addition to compensatory damages.
Often appears as...
- punitive damages
- punitive action in court
Usage tips
Formal
Technical
Definition 1 of 3
Pro Tip 1/3Behavior Correction
Used when consequences are designed to change someone's actions.
The teacher's punitive measures included extra homework for disruptions.
Pro Tip 2/3Not Always Fair
Sometimes 'punitive' suggests overly harsh consequences, not just fair discipline.
Citizens felt the new laws were punitive and oppressive.
Pro Tip 3/3Authority Context
Often found in contexts involving control by authority figures or institutions.
The principal took punitive action against the unruly students.
Pro Tip 1/3Behavior Correction
Used when consequences are designed to change someone's actions.
The teacher's punitive measures included extra homework for disruptions.
Pro Tip 2/3Not Always Fair
Sometimes 'punitive' suggests overly harsh consequences, not just fair discipline.
Citizens felt the new laws were punitive and oppressive.
Pro Tip 3/3Authority Context
Often found in contexts involving control by authority figures or institutions.
The principal took punitive action against the unruly students.
Pro Tip 1/3Behavior Correction
Used when consequences are designed to change someone's actions.
The teacher's punitive measures included extra homework for disruptions.
Pro Tip 2/3Not Always Fair
Sometimes 'punitive' suggests overly harsh consequences, not just fair discipline.
Citizens felt the new laws were punitive and oppressive.
Pro Tip 3/3Authority Context
Often found in contexts involving control by authority figures or institutions.
The principal took punitive action against the unruly students.
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Video examples
Talking about history...
that will influence what happens in each of these various states and I think that narrative is in some ways part of what we were what I was trying to talk about it Ted last time which is that we've got to be more thoughtful about what it means to be led by fear and led by anger and led by politicians that are punitive and harsh and what it means to be
Video examples
Hire the hackers! -...
because they are a remarkable breed and if we rely as we do at the moment solely on the criminal justice system and the threat of punitive sentences we will be nurturing a monster we cannot tame thank you very much for listening
Video examples
Kimberley Motley: How I...
while gross and illegal punitive measures were overused. And so this put me on a quest for justness, and what justness means to me is using laws for their intended purpose, which is to protect. The role of laws is to protect.
Video examples
Talking about history...
that will influence what happens in each of these various states and I think that narrative is in some ways part of what we were what I was trying to talk about it Ted last time which is that we've got to be more thoughtful about what it means to be led by fear and led by anger and led by politicians that are punitive and harsh and what it means to be
Video examples
Hire the hackers! -...
because they are a remarkable breed and if we rely as we do at the moment solely on the criminal justice system and the threat of punitive sentences we will be nurturing a monster we cannot tame thank you very much for listening
Video examples
Kimberley Motley: How I...
while gross and illegal punitive measures were overused. And so this put me on a quest for justness, and what justness means to me is using laws for their intended purpose, which is to protect. The role of laws is to protect.
Example 1 of 3
Quote examples
B. F. Skinner
American Psychologist
Behavior used to be reinforced by great deprivation; if people weren't hungry, they wouldn't work. Now we are committed to feeding people whether they work or not. Nor is money as great a reinforcer as it once was. People no longer work for punitive reasons, yet our culture offers no new satisfactions.
Quote examples
Mike Huckabee
American Politician
As a governor, I've signed virtually every kind of pro-life legislation that we can sign under existing federal law, none of which have been harsh or punitive, but I think they've been important to really point out a pro-life culture in Arkansas. That's, for me, a good thing.
Quote examples
Jay Samit
American Businessman
The greatest challenge to most innovation centers around the world is many nations' punitive attitudes towards failure. In most of the world, if your first business fails, no one will work with you again. But, trial and error is the genesis of innovation.
Quote examples
Howard Gardner
American Psychologist
The problems in our educational system are indissociable from broader malignant trends in our society, and they can't be solved by lots of testing and by punitive actions against schools that are not performing well.
Quote examples
Kenneth Blackwell
American Politician
Job creation requires a business friendly environment with a tax structure that is not punitive and a state government designed for efficient use of fewer tax dollars.
Quote examples
Luis Gutierrez
American Politician
If you are opposed to immigration or support strictly punitive immigration measures, you cannot even start a conversation about other issues with most Latino voters.
Quote examples
John Cleese
English Actor
God was treated like this powerful, erratic, rather punitive father who has to be pacified and praised. You know, flattered.
Quote examples
Rick Perry
American Politician
Those jobs flee other states because of factors like excessive taxation, punitive regulation and frivolous lawsuits.
Quote examples
Romano Prodi
Italian Statesman
I don't want to pass a punitive law, or use politics as a vendetta.
Quote examples
Nick Saban
American Coach
I've had a lot more success helping guys then just being punitive.
Quote examples
B. F. Skinner
American Psychologist
Behavior used to be reinforced by great deprivation; if people weren't hungry, they wouldn't work. Now we are committed to feeding people whether they work or not. Nor is money as great a reinforcer as it once was. People no longer work for punitive reasons, yet our culture offers no new satisfactions.
Quote examples
Mike Huckabee
American Politician
As a governor, I've signed virtually every kind of pro-life legislation that we can sign under existing federal law, none of which have been harsh or punitive, but I think they've been important to really point out a pro-life culture in Arkansas. That's, for me, a good thing.
Quote examples
Jay Samit
American Businessman
The greatest challenge to most innovation centers around the world is many nations' punitive attitudes towards failure. In most of the world, if your first business fails, no one will work with you again. But, trial and error is the genesis of innovation.
Quote examples
Howard Gardner
American Psychologist
The problems in our educational system are indissociable from broader malignant trends in our society, and they can't be solved by lots of testing and by punitive actions against schools that are not performing well.
Quote examples
Kenneth Blackwell
American Politician
Job creation requires a business friendly environment with a tax structure that is not punitive and a state government designed for efficient use of fewer tax dollars.
Quote examples
Luis Gutierrez
American Politician
If you are opposed to immigration or support strictly punitive immigration measures, you cannot even start a conversation about other issues with most Latino voters.
Quote examples
John Cleese
English Actor
God was treated like this powerful, erratic, rather punitive father who has to be pacified and praised. You know, flattered.
Quote examples
Rick Perry
American Politician
Those jobs flee other states because of factors like excessive taxation, punitive regulation and frivolous lawsuits.
Quote examples
Romano Prodi
Italian Statesman
I don't want to pass a punitive law, or use politics as a vendetta.
Quote examples
Nick Saban
American Coach
I've had a lot more success helping guys then just being punitive.
Example 1 of 10
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