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A state or country's penal code defines its crimes and describes its punishments. During the 18th and 19th centuries, many countries established penal colonies, where criminals were sent as punishment. Often these were unbearably severe; but it was to such colonies that some of Australia's and the United States' early white inhabitants came, and the convicts provided labor for the European settlement of these lands.
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Examples of penal in a Sentence
Vanessa Swales, Journal Sentinel, 7 Aug. 2024
Navalny died after languishing in Russia's brutal penal system for over 35 months.
—Jacob Knutson, Axios, 1 Aug. 2024
Whelan was sent to a penal camp in Mordovia, a region about 300 miles east of Moscow known for its network of prisons.
—Leah Sarnoff, ABC News, 1 Aug. 2024
As New York’s governor, Roosevelt had championed a fusion of penal reform and vigilance against lawbreakers.
—Anthony Gregory / Made By History, TIME, 23 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for penal 
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'penal.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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“Penal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/penal. Accessed 19 Aug. 2024.
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penal
adjective
Legal Definition
penal
adjective
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