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penal

penal

57 6.2
It is about punishment given by law
  • adjective
  • /ˈpiːnəl/
  • Formal
translation icon : penal
  • His mom was in and out of penal institutions.
  • penal code
  • penal law
  • penal system

And on top of all of this, we've overlaid lengthy periods of penal confinement.

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Examples

  • How might the field of folkloristics contribute to changing penal policy, practice, and culture?

    Academic text (2017)
  • He would never work in the penal system again.

  • But Article 121, paragraph 3 of the Civil Penal Code sets the sentence at one to three years.

    Academic text (1999)
  • Australia became a penal colony with the arrival of the First Fleet in 1788.

    Academic text (1990)
  • In addition, clauses were deleted from the penal code that made critical speech seditious.

    Academic text (1998)
  • A long-overdue revision of Brazil's Penal Code is another urgently needed reform.

    Academic text (1998)
  • Many jurisdictions follow the Model Penal Code's approach of punishing attempts equally as severely as completed intentional offenses.

    Academic text (2017)
  • The new law introduced stricter penal measures for repeat offenders.

  • Reforming the penal system is essential for reducing recidivism rates.

  • Many countries are re-evaluating their penal codes to ensure fairness in the justice system.

Synonyms

punitive
vspenal
  • Formal
81 7.0

That makes someone receive a penalty for breaking a rule

refers to law-based penalties rather than intention to punish
punishable
vspenal
  • Formal
3 4.2

Can lead to a fine or other legal penalty

focuses on relation to penalties given by law rather than intention to punish
punishable by law
vspenal
  • Formal
1 4.8

An act against the law that can lead to a fine or jail

relates to law-based punishment in general not only specific offenses
sanctionable
vspenal
  • Formal
7.9

Can be punished under rules or law

covers law-related punishment but is broader than mere rule violation
punitory
vspenal
9.9

Causing someone to suffer for doing something wrong

is the standard legal adjective about punishment under law

Antonyms

101 3.5

An activity or experience that makes you feel good and successful

32 4.4

Not strict about rules and punishment

Compounds

penal code
  • Formal
9 4.6

A set of laws that defines crimes and their punishments in a country

7 8.2

A place, often on an island, where the government keeps people sent there for crimes and they cannot leave

1 6.3

A place like a prison where people are kept as punishment for crimes

1 6.0

A building that holds people as punishment for crimes to protect the public

How Punitive

retributive
  • Formal
1 8.0
punitive
  • Formal
81 7.0
penal
  • Formal
57 6.2
lenient
32 4.4

Surface Forms

penal positive

Etymology

The word penal comes from the Latin word poena, which means 'punishment', and it is the same root you see in the word penalty. So penal describes laws, actions, or places that are about punishment.