punish

verb B1 Neutral

Social

Meaning

To punish someone means to make them suffer for something wrong they did.

💡 Be careful not to confuse "punish" with "punishment," which is the noun form.

Example Sentences

How do teachers punish students who break the rules ?

Parents sometimes punish children for breaking important rules .

The teacher will not punish students for honest mistakes .

The teacher will punish students who break the school rules .

Word in Context

Yesterday Tom came home late and his parents were worried . They decided not to punish him with a fine , but they took away his phone for two days . He understood the reason and said he would be more careful . Now he plans to call if he is late and his parents feel calmer .

Common Phrases

punish someone punish for something punish severely

Synonyms

Antonyms

Related Words

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