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punitive damages
plural noun
: damages awarded in excess of compensation to the plaintiff to punish a defendant for a serious wrong
Examples of punitive damages in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The lawsuit seeks compensatory and punitive damages and attorneys fees.
—Lauren Liebhaber, Kansas City Star, 23 May 2024
The jury also awarded $4.2 million in punitive damages.
—Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 23 May 2024
The jury award includes compensatory damages for the emotional harm the victims suffered as a result of McCarthy’s conduct in addition to punitive damages to punish McCarthy.
—Thao Nguyen, USA TODAY, 22 May 2024
The jurors also awarded them a total of $75 million in punitive damages.
—Lucien Bruggeman, ABC News, 21 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for punitive damages
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'punitive damages.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1858, in the meaning defined above
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Cite this Entry
“Punitive damages.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/punitive%20damages. Accessed 5 Jun. 2024.
Legal Definition
punitive damages
see damage sense 2
More from Merriam-Webster on punitive damages
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