Standard Lemma guide

penalize

verb · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK, US: /ˈpiː.nəl.aɪz/
  • UK, US: /ˈpɛn.əl.aɪz/
  • Australia: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: P EH1 N AH0 L AY2 Z Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
  • CMU ARPABET 2: P IY1 N AH0 L AY2 Z Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To subject to a penalty, especially for the infringement of a rule or regulation.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: chastise, come down on, amerce, castigate, chasten, correct, fix someone's wagon, have someone's guts for garters, have someone's head, have someone's hide, give it to someone, give someone what for, give what for, gruel, malavogue, nail someone to the wall, penalize, penance, punish, tan someone's hide, tar out, teach someone a lesson

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To impose a handicap on.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Topics: hobbies, lifestyle, sports

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

impose a penalty on; inflict punishment on

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The students were penalized for showing up late for class
  • we had to punish the dog for soiling the floor again

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: punish, penalise

Antonyms: none provided

Narrower terms: revenge, avenge, retaliate, tar-and-feather, execute, put to death, pillory, castigate, amerce, victimize, victimise, scourge, discipline, correct, sort out

History

Etymology

Etymology tree English penal Proto-Indo-European *-id- Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-idyéti Proto-Hellenic *-íďďō Ancient Greek -ῐ́ζω (-ĭ́zō)bor. Late Latin -izōder. Middle French -iserbor. Middle English -isen English -ize English penalize From penal + -ize.

Across languages

Translations

27 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Amharic: ቀጣ (ḳäṭa) — to subject to a penalty
  • Armenian: տուգանել (tuganel) — to subject to a penalty
  • Armenian: պատժել (patžel) — to subject to a penalty
  • Bulgarian: наказвам (nakazvam) — to subject to a penalty
  • Catalan: penalitzar — to subject to a penalty
  • Dutch: straffen — to subject to a penalty
  • Finnish: rangaista — to subject to a penalty
  • French: pénaliser — to subject to a penalty
  • German: bestrafen — to subject to a penalty
  • Hungarian: megbüntet — to subject to a penalty
  • Irish: pionósaigh — to subject to a penalty
  • Māori: ngahi — to subject to a penalty
  • Māori: ngawhi — to subject to a penalty
  • Norwegian: straffe — to subject to a penalty
  • Persian: تنبیه کردن (tanbih kardan) — to subject to a penalty
  • Portuguese: penalizar — to subject to a penalty
  • Russian: штрафова́ть (štrafovátʹ) — to subject to a penalty
  • Russian: нака́зывать (nakázyvatʹ) — to subject to a penalty
  • Russian: караться законом (karatʹsja zakonom) — to subject to a penalty
  • Spanish: penalizar — to subject to a penalty
  • Turkish: cezalandırmak — to subject to a penalty
  • Armenian: տուգանել (tuganel) — to impose a handicap on
  • Finnish: rangaista — to impose a handicap on
  • Italian: penalizzare — to impose a handicap on
  • Russian: штрафова́ть (štrafovátʹ) — to impose a handicap on
  • Russian: накла́дывать штраф (nakládyvatʹ štraf) — to impose a handicap on
  • Spanish: infligir un castigo — to impose a handicap on