- 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.
Immigration attorneys have spoken out against the practice, saying it punishes people who are trying to comply with the rules and turns the justice system into a place of fear.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 24, 2026
Gattuso admitted the team's shortcomings: "When you have chances and don't take them, football punishes you."
From BBC ● Apr. 1, 2026
Steele doesn’t besmirch the data that punishes his Redhawks, but he also says “there’s something to winning.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 2, 2026
But in a society that consistently punishes good people, simply trying to make the songs real is worthy.
From Salon ● Feb. 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
