penalize
gb/pˈɛnəlˌaɪz/ us/pˈɛnəlˌaɪz/
B2
English
Senses
0 senses
Verb
formal
B2
action
1
punish by imposing a penalty
To punish someone by giving them a penalty.
Usage pattern:
penalize [someone] (for [something/doing something])
Common mistake:
Don’t confuse with "criticize"; to penalize means to apply an actual penalty, not just express disapproval.
Synonyms
punish (More general; not always an official penalty.)
|
sanction (Often used for official or institutional penalties.)
|
fine (Specifically to punish by requiring payment.)
Antonyms
reward (To give a benefit instead of a penalty.)
|
pardon (To forgive an offense rather than punish it.)
Collocations
penalize someone for
|penalize a company
|penalize a driver
|penalize illegal behavior
|penalize violations
|heavily penalize
|criminally penalize
|penalize under the law
|penalize noncompliance
|penalize offenders
Themes
law
|rules
|government
|crime
Examples
- The new law penalizes employers who fail to pay overtime.
- The company was penalized for dumping waste into the river.
- Repeat offenders may be penalized more severely.
Learner examples
- You can be penalized for breaking the rules.
- The school penalized students for cheating.
Verb
B2
action
2
give a penalty in sports
In sports, to give someone a penalty for breaking a rule.
Usage pattern:
penalize [someone/a team] (for [something])
Common mistake:
In sports, "penalize" is often used with referees/officials as the subject (e.g., "The referee penalized him").
Synonyms
penalise (British spelling.)
|
dock (Often means to take away points or money.)
Antonyms
award (To give a point/advantage instead of a penalty.)
Collocations
penalize a team
|penalize a player
|penalize a foul
|penalize for handball
|penalize for offside
|penalize for dangerous play
|be penalized for
|wrongly penalize
|heavily penalize
|penalize the offense
Themes
sports
|competition
|rules
Examples
- The referee penalized the defender for a late tackle.
- The team was penalized three points for violating the salary cap.
- She was penalized for stepping out of bounds.
Learner examples
- The referee penalized him for a foul.
Verb
formal
C1
action
3
put at a disadvantage
To cause someone to have a disadvantage or lose benefits.
Usage pattern:
penalize [someone/something] (for [something])
Common mistake:
This meaning is often about indirect effects (a system penalizes a group), not direct punishment by a person.
Synonyms
disadvantage (More general; does not necessarily imply a rule-based penalty.)
|
harm (Broader and less tied to systems or rules.)
|
handicap (Often emphasizes making success harder.)
Antonyms
favor (To give an advantage rather than a disadvantage.)
|
benefit (To help rather than hurt.)
Collocations
penalize low-income families
|penalize small businesses
|penalize older workers
|penalize users
|penalize innovation
|penalize risk-taking
|penalize applicants
|unfairly penalize
|effectively penalize
|penalize someone financially
Themes
business
|education
|society
|technology
Examples
- The policy unintentionally penalizes part-time workers.
- The algorithm can penalize candidates with nontraditional career paths.
- High banking fees penalize customers who maintain low balances.
Learner examples
- This rule penalizes people who work part-time.
Grammar
Dictionary form
penalize
IPA
GB/pˈɛnəlˌaɪz/
US/pˈɛnəlˌaɪz/
Syllables & stress
pen - al - ize (3 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (pen)
Word forms
Verb
- Base: penalize
- 3rd Person Singular: penalizes
- Present Participle: penalizing
- Past: penalized
Word family
Expressions
be penalized for [something/doing something]
1/bˈi pˈinəlˌaɪzd fɚ səmˈɛθɪŋdˈɔɪŋ sˈʌmθɪŋ/
fixed phrase
receive a penalty for a reason
To get a penalty because of something you did.
Examples
- Drivers can be penalized for using a phone at the wheel.
- She was penalized for submitting the form late.
- The team was penalized for too many players on the field.
penalize [someone/something] for [something/doing something]
1/pˈɛnəlˌaɪz sˈoʊmˈoʊnsəmˈɛθɪŋ fɚ səmˈɛθɪŋdˈɔɪŋ sˈʌmθɪŋ/
fixed phrase
punish or disadvantage for a reason
Used to say why someone gets a penalty.
Examples
- The judge penalized the firm for repeated safety violations.
- The referee penalized him for time-wasting.
- The grading system can penalize students for minor formatting errors.