ENGLISH
REFERENCE

punishable

adj.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈpənɪʃəbəɫ// UK //pˈʌnɪʃəbəl// pun·ish·able

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.


SIMPLE

Driving too fast is punishable by a fine.

CONTEXTUAL

In many countries, shoplifting is a crime punishable by community service or a significant financial penalty.

COMPLEX

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.

Synonyms
Origin

From punish + -able.

Usage

Typically used in legal or formal contexts; frequently appears in the pattern 'punishable by [penalty]'.

Pitfall

punishable with a finepunishable by a fineWhile 'with' is occasionally seen, 'by' is the standard preposition used to introduce the specific legal penalty.

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