- present tense form of punish (3rd person singular).
punishes
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
As portrayed by an excellent Samantha Sloyan, Margaret still punishes Carrie by frequently shoving her into a prayer closet, but she’s also more grounded in her humanity.
From Salon ● Oct. 30, 2026
If the North punishes the POWs' families and word spreads, it "could provoke unrest among the families of other soldiers", he said.
From Barron's ● Sep. 30, 2026
“The same rate hike that helps a CD also punishes anyone carrying a credit-card balance.”
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 15, 2026
To recap: Purcell punishes a plaintiff in voting cases for being too late to court.
From Slate ● Aug. 25, 2026
Any system that constricts teachers—holds them to small-bore metrics, punishes them for forces outside their control, discourages their creativity and spontaneity, chips away at their humanity—is a bad system.
From "Drama High" by Michael Sokolove
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