penalty Definition
pen·alty (pen′əl tē)
noun pl. -·ties
- a punishment fixed by law, as for a crime or breach of contract
- the disadvantage, suffering, handicap, etc. imposed upon an offender or one who does not fulfill a contract or obligation, as a fine or forfeit; specif., a forfeit paid for withdrawal before maturity of invested funds
- any unfortunate consequence or result of an act or condition
- Sports any disadvantage, as a loss of yardage or the removal of a player, imposed because of infraction of a rule
Etymology: LME penalyte < ML poenalitas < L poenalis: see penal
penalty Synonyms
penalty Usage Examples
Converse of object
- impose: The rebel base also imposes a points penalty equal to double the campaign points value, which was 18 % in Kev's case.
- incur: Ensure you do not incur penalties for delayed payments Once a Direct Debit mandate is signed payments are made automatically on your behalf.
- concede: He managed to get away with only a yellow card but also conceded a penalty.
- miss: Matt Vaughan failed to convert having missed a penalty also, hitting the post 7 minutes earlier.
Adjective modifier
- fixed: Can I be dealt with by fixed penalty without having to go to court?
- maximum: The maximum penalty for the sale of such goods is 6 months in prison or £ 5000.
- stiff: Dealers who sell drugs near schools or use children as couriers could face stiffer penalties.
- severe: The importance of the regime The law imposes very severe penalties on anyone involved in money laundering.
- harsh: People who have a problem with alcohol, alcoholics, cannot be swayed by stricter laws, harsher penalties or spates in jail.
Modifies a noun
- shootout: I returned to the bar to watch our World Cup hopes disappear down the toilet in a lackluster penalty shootout.
- taker: Jens Lehmann had every Argentine penalty taker written down on a piece of paper, along with notes on their penalty style.
- kick: In a close 1st half Tranent went ahead through a penalty kick which looked to have occurred well outside the box.
- notice: Nearly 7,000 people a day failed to pay the charge, which began on 17 February, with 34,000 penalty notices being sent out.
- spot: Earlier in the game Robbie Blake had missed from the penalty spot.
Noun used with modifier
- redemption: The latter has no redemption penalties at any time.
- death: I think I believe in the death penalty - I do not know.
- filing: In previous years a concession has allowed a seven day period of grace before a late filing penalty is charged.
Preposition: of
imprisonment: Despite its recent reclassification, illegal possession of cannabis still carries a maximum penalty of two years imprisonment.
Preposition: for
- non-compliance: Penalties for non-compliance will treat complete and marginal failure the same.
- contravention: The penalty for any other such contravention is a fine not exceeding £ 2,500 on summary conviction.
Browse dictionary entries near penalty
- ‹ penalties
- ‹ penalize
- ‹ penal servitude
- ‹ penal law
- ‹ penal institution
- ‹ penal code
- ‹ penal action
- ‹ penal
- ‹ pen register
- ‹ pen pal
- penalty box ›
- penalty clause ›
- penalty kick ›
- penance ›
- Penang ›
- penates ›
- pence ›
- pencel ›
- penchant ›
- Penchi ›

