penalized
verb
Form of penalize , past tense of penalize.
Simple meaning
Inflict punishment on.
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
peenuhlyzdSay the bold part a little louder.
IPA pronunciation (US)
ˈpinəlaɪzd
This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.
Definition
Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.
verb
past tense of penalize
Impose a penalty on; inflict punishment on
“The students were penalized for showing up late for class.”
past tense of penalize
To impose a handicap on.
past tense of penalize
To subject to a penalty, especially for the infringement of a rule or regulation.
Word Aura™
How this word commonly comes across.
Aura for this meaning
This meaning: Impose a penalty on; inflict punishment on
Used this way, penalized is a common word with a faintly unfavourable edge. It usually sounds natural in a wide range of settings.
“The students were penalized for showing up late for class.”
- Emotional tone
- Slightly negative
- Formality
- Neutral
- Intensity
- Moderate
- How common
- Common
- Connotation
- Critical or judgemental
- Usage feel
- Neutral and straightforward
Usage note
It most often appears in the pattern “penalized for …”, which is worth copying when you use it.
Natural pattern: penalized for …
Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.
More ways to use penalized
- “The students were penalized for showing up late for class.”verb
Share your sentence
Common Patterns and Combinations
How this word naturally appears with others.
Tap the highlighted word to open its own entry.
Word Family
Related forms, grouped by how they connect.
Use This Word
See how this word sounds in a real sentence.
Ask Vocabaura
Understand the word your way.
What Does It Mean Here?
Words can change meaning depending on context.
Use it yourself
Keep learning “penalized” by choosing the kind of practice you need next.
- Practice sentence writingWrite sentences with vocabulary and get instant feedback.
- Practice in contextAnswer short vocabulary questions drawn from real situations.
- Review vocabularyTest your recall and strengthen words over time.
- Practice typingType vocabulary in short rounds that draw from words you've learned and saved.
Want to type words like this one without looking at the keyboard? Each typing round draws from words you've learned, saved or need to review. Follow the free Learn to Type lessons and type your own vocabulary with confidence.
Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.
