Synonyms
Examples of penalize in a Sentence
The company was penalized for not paying taxes.
The hockey player was penalized for holding.
This law would unfairly penalize immigrants.
Recent Examples on the Web
State legislators and law enforcement are reinstating dormant laws that criminalize mask-wearing to penalize pro-Palestinian protesters who conceal their faces, raising concerns among covid-cautious Americans.
—
Fenit Nirappil, Washington Post, 24 June 2024
Some opponents of the rule say that if people aren’t penalized through their credit score for unpaid medical bills, many may simply never pay their bills.
—Claire Bugos, Verywell Health, 20 June 2024
This use of excessive force is exacerbated, in part, by a policy that penalizes officers who don’t make use of their less-lethal weapons, according to the report.
—Nick Sullivan, The Arizona Republic, 14 June 2024
Then, as if to penalize the city further for the troubles of spring, Hogan sent $2 billion to suburban and rural areas for road projects – and not a penny for Baltimore and very little for Baltimore County.
—Dan Rodricks, Baltimore Sun, 14 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for penalize 
Fenit Nirappil, Washington Post, 24 June 2024
Some opponents of the rule say that if people aren’t penalized through their credit score for unpaid medical bills, many may simply never pay their bills.
—Claire Bugos, Verywell Health, 20 June 2024
This use of excessive force is exacerbated, in part, by a policy that penalizes officers who don’t make use of their less-lethal weapons, according to the report.
—Nick Sullivan, The Arizona Republic, 14 June 2024
Then, as if to penalize the city further for the troubles of spring, Hogan sent $2 billion to suburban and rural areas for road projects – and not a penny for Baltimore and very little for Baltimore County.
—Dan Rodricks, Baltimore Sun, 14 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for penalize
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'penalize.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near penalize
Cite this Entry
“Penalize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/penalize. Accessed 7 Jul. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
penalize
verb
pe·nal·ize
ˈpēn-ᵊl-ˌīz 
ˈpen-
ˈpen-
penalized; penalizing
1
: to give a penalty to
2
: to place at a disadvantage
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