penalize

penalize — verb

1. to make someone face a penalty after they break a rule, law, or game rule.

1.verbtransitiveC1
Definition

to make someone face a penalty after they break a rule, law, or game rule.

Example

The referee penalized Ken for pushing near the goal.

penalize + someone + for + -ing

Drivers who park here are penalized with a heavy fine.

passive: be penalized with a fine

Common collocations
  • penalize a team
  • penalize a player
  • penalize drivers
  • penalize for pushing
  • penalize with a fine
Synonyms
  • punish

    is the broader everyday word and is less tied to official rules

  • fine

    specifically means punishing someone by making them pay money

  • sanction

    is more formal and common in legal, business, or official contexts

Antonyms
  • reward

    means giving something good for correct or successful behavior

  • excuse

    means deciding not to punish someone for a fault

Grammar Patterns

penalize + someone + for + noun/-ing

be penalized with + fine/points

penalize + team/player/driver

Usage Note

Frequently followed by for + noun or -ing to name the offense. Common in sports, schools, contracts, and official rules; distinguish from sense 2, which can describe disadvantage without a formal punishment.

Common Mistakes

The referee penalized Ken because pushing near the goal.
The referee penalized Ken for pushing near the goal.
use 'for' before the reason.
Drivers are penalized by a heavy fine.
Drivers are penalized with a heavy fine.
use 'with' for the penalty that is given.

2. to leave someone in a worse position, often because a rule, price, or system wor

2.verbtransitiveC1
Definition

to leave someone in a worse position, often because a rule, price, or system works against them.

Example

High train fares penalize students who travel home every weekend.

penalize + group affected by cost

The new phone app penalizes older users with tiny text buttons.

Common collocations
  • penalize students
  • penalize older users
  • penalize small schools
  • feel penalized by higher costs
  • unfairly penalize
Synonyms
  • disadvantage

    is the clearest neutral verb for putting someone in a weaker position

  • hurt

    is less formal and can describe any kind of negative effect

  • discriminate against

    is more specific and suggests unfair treatment of a particular group

Antonyms
  • benefit

    means to help someone or give them an advantage

  • favor

    suggests giving one person or group better treatment

Grammar Patterns

penalize + someone/group

be penalized by + rule/cost/system

Usage Note

Subject is often a rule, cost, design choice, or situation rather than a person. Distinguish from sense 1: this sense does not require anyone to have broken a rule.

Common Mistakes

High fees penalize to poor families.
High fees penalize poor families.
penalize takes a direct object, not 'to'.
Small schools are penalized of low numbers.
Small schools are penalized by low numbers.
use 'by' for the cause in this passive pattern.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

Penalize is common when a rule has been broken and an official result follows, such as a fine, lost points, or another disadvantage. Punish is the broad everyday word and can be used by parents, teachers, courts, or life in general. Fine is narrower because it only means making someone pay money. Sanction is more formal and often appears in legal, school, or business settings. Discipline often focuses on training or correcting behavior, especially in schools or families, not only on the penalty itself. Use penalize for rule-based systems: 'The referee penalized Ken for pushing.' Use fine for money: 'The city fined the shop owner.'

punish ↗fine ↗sanction ↗discipline ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • students
  • drivers
  • teams
  • users
  • passengers

Adverbs

  • heavily penalize
  • unfairly penalize
  • automatically penalize

Phrases

  • penalize someone for lateness
  • be penalized by higher costs
  • be penalized with a fine

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinEnglish

Penalize was formed in English from penal and the verb ending -ize. Penal comes from a Latin word meaning 'punishment'. The same root also appears in penalty, so the word keeps the basic idea of making someone suffer a loss because of a fault or rule break.