›to cause people who have done something wrong or committed a crime to suffer by making them do something they don’t want to do or sending them to prison: She was punished for being late to school.punishable
/ˈpʌn·ɪ·ʃə·bəl/adj›Swimming in the Potomac is punishable by a fine.punishment
/ˈpʌn·ɪʃ·mənt/n[C/U]›[C]Serving your community is seen as a punishment these days.