Word
penalize
Phoneticspe·nal·ize, stress on the first syllable
/ˈpɛnəˌɫaɪz/
UK spelling · penalise
Definition
v. to punish someone or a team for breaking a rule. In sports, this usually means taking away points or giving a time penalty.
v. to impose a penalty or punishment for a specific infraction. Often used in the context of sports or legal systems to describe the formal consequence of a rule violation.
Examples
“The referee decided to penalize the team for the foul.”
“The committee will penalize any member who fails to submit their annual report by the deadline.”
“While the league aims to penalize aggressive play, the subjective nature of the calls often leads to heated debates among fans and analysts alike.”
Examples
simple
“The referee decided to penalize the team for the foul.”
contextual
“The committee will penalize any member who fails to submit their annual report by the deadline.”
complex
“While the league aims to penalize aggressive play, the subjective nature of the calls often leads to heated debates among fans and analysts alike.”
Real-World Examples
“Separate to the online betting order, Lula also signed a bill to penalise criminal offences related to fixed-odds betting.” Etymology
From penal + -ize.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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