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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

Seeking to harm someone in return for a perceived injury

Inflicting harsh and authoritarian treatment

Requiring, or involving, great mental or physical effort

Much too high, especially in price

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

agonizing^US

unsavory^US

unsavoury^UK

agonising^UK

surplus to requirements

out of all proportion

blown up 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

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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

with a chip on your shoulder

uncivilised^UK

uncivilized^US

environmentally unfriendly

sombre^UK

somber^US

more ❯

Adjective

▲

Inflicting harsh and authoritarian treatment

throwing one's weight around

throwing one's weight about

more ❯

Adjective

▲

Requiring, or involving, great mental or physical effort

gruelling^UK

grueling^US

agonizing^US

agonising^UK

labored^US

laboured^UK

easier said than done

unsavoury^UK

unsavory^US

tremendously difficult

like getting blood out of a stone

unfavorable^US

imperilling^UK

imperiling^US

more ❯

Adjective

▲

Much too high, especially in price

costing an arm and a leg

worth its weight in gold

worth a king's ransom

worth millions of dollars

cherished

exquisite

of incalculable value

of incalculable worth

of inestimable value

of inestimable worth

of immeasurable value

of immeasurable worth

without price

more than one can afford

more than can be afforded

more ❯

Adjective

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Cruel or harsh in nature

with a heart of stone

every person for themselves

intensely competitive

gray^US

grey^UK

having a killer instinct

toughened by experience

hard-shelled

as tough as old boots

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

unsavoury^UK

unsavory^US

speaking as one finds

calling a spade a spade

humourless^UK

humorless^US

terrorizing^US

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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