punishment

/ˈpʌnɪʃmənt/

Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.

Also seen as: punishments

Sense 1

Meaning · English

The act (action) or process of punishing, imposing and/or applying a sanction, typically by an authority or a person in authority (for example: a parent or teacher), especially when disappointed or dissatisfied with the behavior or actions of a child, student, or someone else being looked after.

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

Hành động hoặc quá trình trừng phạt, áp dụng hình phạt

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Noun

Examples

The naughty children were given a punishment by their teachers.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Meaning · English

A penalty to punish wrongdoing, especially for crime.

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

Hình phạt để trừng phạt hành vi sai trái

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Noun

Examples

a light punishment

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “punishment” mean?

The act (action) or process of punishing, imposing and/or applying a sanction, typically by an authority or a person in authority (for example: a parent or teacher), especially when disappointed or dissatisfied with the behavior or actions of a child, student, or someone else being looked after.

Is “punishment” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.