penal

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.

The interim government is prosecuting Atef Najib under the 1949 penal code, a statute written for ordinary murder, not for crimes against humanity.

From Slate • May 27, 2026

Russian human rights activist Osechkin, 44, who lives in France under police protection, said Ukrainian prisoners are often made "invisible" within the penal system, and has even documented cases of their names being changed.

From Barron's • May 8, 2026

“As well as realistic criminal investigation when they’ve committed a crime in violation of a penal code.”

From Los Angeles Times • May 5, 2026

Before Saturday's announcement, Navalny's wife Yulia Navalnaya had consistently argued that her husband was killed by poisoning while serving a prison sentence in an Arctic penal colony in 2024.

From BBC • Feb. 14, 2026

He was one generation removed from a slave ship, living in a country best described as an African penal colony, and he was a free man, with every benefit of education.

From "Outliers" by Malcolm Gladwell