punishes
Imposes a penalty
Punishes is the third-person singular form of punish, meaning to impose a penalty or consequence on someone for wrongdoing or rule-breaking.
Parents punish children, courts punish criminals, and leagues punish players who violate codes of conduct.
The word extends to anything that inflicts harm or strain: The marathon punishes your joints.
In casual speech, punishes can mean to consume aggressively: He really punishes those nachos.
Punishment for wrongdoing
- repercussionIndirect result of action
- falloutPost-blast atmospheric particles
- backlashStrong negative reaction
- ramificationSecondary consequence of action
outcome · price · cost · toll · suffering · hardship · burden · damages
Complete thought, grammatically
- verdictOfficial court decision
- convictionFirmly held belief
- incarcerationConfinement in jail
- prisonConfinement for offenders
prosecution · court · trial · judge · gavel · jail · fine · probation
Formal expression of disapproval
- rebukeExpress sharp disapproval
- scoldingHarsh verbal criticism
- chastisementFormal scolding or correction
- admonishmentExpression of disapproval or warning
censure · reproach · castigation · reproof · berating · upbraiding · chiding · telling-off
Retaliation for injury
- paybackRetaliation for wrongs
- retaliationPunitive response to injury
- reprisalPunitive action in return
- comeuppanceDeserved punishment or rebuke
avenge · revenge · wrath · nemesis · karma · reckoning · reciprocity · tit-for-tat
Connecting to earth
- time-outTemporary halt in activity
- spankingStriking the buttocks
- detentionTemporary official holding
- suspensionTemporary halt or exclusion
expulsion · curfew · corner · restriction · strictness · consequences · obedience · behavior
Stopping something before occurring
- dissuasionConvincing someone not to
- discouragementLoss of confidence
- intimidationDeliberate fear-inducing pressure
- threatIndication of potential harm
deterrent · disincentive · crackdown · zero-tolerance · enforcement · prohibition · restriction
penalty
Punishment for wrongdoing
- repercussionIndirect result of action
- falloutPost-blast atmospheric particles
- backlashStrong negative reaction
ramification · outcome · price · cost · toll · suffering · hardship · burden · damages · loss
sentence
Complete thought, grammatically
- verdictOfficial court decision
- convictionFirmly held belief
- incarcerationConfinement in jail
prison · prosecution · court · trial · judge · gavel · jail · fine · probation · parole
reprimand
Formal expression of disapproval
- rebukeExpress sharp disapproval
- scoldingHarsh verbal criticism
- chastisementFormal scolding or correction
admonishment · censure · reproach · castigation · reproof · berating · upbraiding · chiding · telling-off · lecture
vengeance
Retaliation for injury
- paybackRetaliation for wrongs
- retaliationPunitive response to injury
- reprisalPunitive action in return
comeuppance · avenge · revenge · wrath · nemesis · karma · reckoning · reciprocity · tit-for-tat · redress
grounding
Connecting to earth
suspension · expulsion · curfew · corner · restriction · strictness · consequences · obedience · behavior · correction
prevention
Stopping something before occurring
- dissuasionConvincing someone not to
- discouragementLoss of confidence
- intimidationDeliberate fear-inducing pressure
threat · deterrent · disincentive · crackdown · zero-tolerance · enforcement · prohibition · restriction
- punishespenalizes, disciplines, chastises, castigates, corrects
punishesrewards
Benefits given for merit
prizes · compensates · remunerates · pays · honors
- capital punishmentExecution by legal authority
- glutton for punishmentOne who seeks suffering
- sucker for punishmentOne who invites suffering
- corporal punishmentInflicting pain as penalty
- divine punishmentJudgment from a deity
- physical punishmentPain-based behavioral correction
punish, punishment, punished, punishing, unpunished, punisher, punishers