Punish
Definition
Example
"Teachers punish students for breaking classroom rules."
"The court may punish criminals by making them do extra work or return stolen items."
"Good parents punish calmly so children learn from their mistakes instead of feeling fear."
Explanation
To punish means to make someone suffer or face something unpleasant because they have done something wrong. It is usually done to correct behaviour and help the person understand their mistake. For example, a teacher may punish a student by giving extra work, or a parent may take away a child’s toy for breaking rules. The word comes from an old root that meant “to cause pain or loss because of a fault”. This idea still appears in the modern meaning, where someone must face something unpleasant after doing wrong so they can learn from the mistake.