punishable
adj.describing an action that is against the law and can result in a penalty, like a fine or time in prison.
adj.subject to a judicial or administrative penalty. Often followed by the preposition 'by' to indicate the specific consequence.
“Driving too fast is punishable by a fine.”
“In many countries, shoplifting is a crime punishable by community service or a significant financial penalty.”
“The new legislation ensures that any breach of data privacy is punishable by fines proportional to the company's annual turnover, rather than a fixed flat fee.”
Typically used in legal or formal contexts; frequently appears in the pattern 'punishable by [penalty]'.
While 'with' is occasionally seen, 'by' is the standard preposition used to introduce the specific legal penalty.
“The offence is punishable by death under Zambian law.”
From punish + -able.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.