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What is another word for punitive?

Need synonyms for punitive? Here's a list of similar words from our thesaurus that you can use instead.

Contexts ▼

Inflicting or intended as punishment or a form of vengeance

(of a tax or other charge) Extremely high, harsh or severe

Inflicting harsh and authoritarian treatment

Much too high, especially in price

Seeking to harm someone in return for a perceived injury

Cruel or harsh in nature

… more ▼

Adjective

▲

Inflicting or intended as punishment or a form of vengeance

“It seems only logical to expect punitive measures to deter a substantial amount of corporate malfeasance.”

Adjective

▲

(of a tax or other charge) Extremely high, harsh or severe

gruelling^UK

agonizing^US

unsavoury^UK

unsavory^US

agonising^UK

grueling^US

humourless^UK

humorless^US

costing an arm and a leg

blown up out of all proportion

sombre^UK

somber^US

uncivilised^UK

uncivilized^US

with a heart of stone

out of all proportion

more ❯

“It charged the punitive rate of interest on the arrears as well as the repayments, causing the debt to balloon.”

Adjective

▲

Inflicting harsh and authoritarian treatment

throwing one's weight around

throwing weight around

throwing one's weight about

more ❯

Adjective

▲

Much too high, especially in price

costing an arm and a leg

worth its weight in gold

worth a king's ransom

financial means conditional

of incalculable value

choice

of inestimable value

rare

of incalculable worth

of immeasurable worth

of inestimable worth

of immeasurable value

more than one can afford

more than can be afforded

more ❯

Adjective

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Seeking to harm someone in return for a perceived injury

thirsting for revenge

ill-humored^US

accidentally on purpose

unfavorable^US

uncivilised^UK

uncivilized^US

environmentally unfriendly

sombre^UK

somber^US

with a chip on your shoulder

libellous^UK

libelous^US

more ❯

Adjective

▲

Cruel or harsh in nature

with a heart of stone

every person for themselves

intensely competitive

having a killer instinct

gray^US

grey^UK

toughened by experience

killer

sworn

deadly

as tough as old boots

blind to

deaf to

at each other's throats

uncivilized^US

uncivilised^UK

ill-humored^US

red in tooth and claw

demoralised^UK

demoralized^US

rubbing the wrong way

off-colour^UK

off-color^US

speaking as one finds

calling a spade a spade

unsavoury^UK

unsavory^US

humourless^UK

humorless^US

terrorizing^US

accidentally on purpose

terrorising^UK

knock-down-and-drag-out

more ❯

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Related Words and Phrases

What is another word for punitive?

Need synonyms for punitive? Here's a list of similar words from our thesaurus that you can use instead.

Related Words and Phrases

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