# punish

/ˈpənɪʃ/ (US) · /pˈʌnɪʃ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/punish
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. to penalise for a crime

verb · CEFR B1

to make someone suffer or pay a fine because they broke a rule or a law.

For teachers: to impose a penalty on someone as retribution for an offence, crime, or violation of rules.

- The judge decided to punish the thief with a heavy fine and community service.
- The legal system is designed to punish offenders in a way that reflects the severity of their crimes while discouraging future misconduct.

Usage: Often used with the preposition 'for' to indicate the reason for the penalty.

### 2. to treat harshly

verb · CEFR B2

to use something so roughly that you damage it.

For teachers: to subject an object or one's own body to severe or taxing treatment.

- Running on concrete every day can really punish your knees.
- The rough mountain terrain will punish the car's suspension if you drive too quickly over the rocks.

### 3. to consume a lot

verb · CEFR C2 · Informal · British English

to eat or drink a very large amount of something quickly.

For teachers: to consume a significant quantity of food or drink, often with speed or enthusiasm.

- The teenagers really punished the pizza, leaving only a few crumbs behind.
- After the long hike, the group sat down and proceeded to punish a large tray of sandwiches and several jugs of water.

Teaching tip: This sense is highly informal and mostly found in British or Australian English; it implies a humorous exaggeration of how much was eaten.

## Examples

- The teacher will punish students who cheat on the test.
- The judge decided to punish the offender with community service rather than a prison sentence.
- While some parents believe it is necessary to punish minor disobedience, others prefer to use positive reinforcement to encourage better behavior in the future.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.