penalty
word
/ˈpɛnəɫti/
PE-nuhl-tee
/pˈɛnəlti/
PE-nuhl-tee
Definition
A penalty is a punishment or negative result for breaking a rule or law. In sports, it can also mean a special punishment such as a penalty kick or extra time added because of a foul.
Usage & Nuances
Common in legal, official, and sports contexts. Often used with verbs like 'pay', 'face', 'get', or 'avoid': 'pay a penalty', 'face a penalty'. In everyday English, 'fine' is more specific for money, while 'penalty' is broader. In sports, the exact meaning depends on the game.
Spanish: penalización - pena - castigoPortuguese (BR): penalidade - multa - puniçãoPortuguese (PT): penalização - multa - castigoChinese (Simplified): 处罚 - 罚款 - 点球（体育）Chinese (Traditional): 處罰 - 罰款 - 點球（體育）Hindi: जुर्माना - दंड - पेनल्टी (खेल)Arabic: عقوبة - غرامة - ركلة جزاء (في الرياضة)Bengali: শাস্তি - জরিমানাRussian: штраф - наказаниеJapanese: ペナルティ - 罰Vietnamese: hình phạt - phạtKorean: 벌칙 - 처벌Turkish: ceza - penaltıUrdu: سزا - جرمانہIndonesian: hukuman - penalti
Example Sentences
You must pay a penalty if you park here.
basic
The player got a penalty for the foul.
basic
Missing the deadline carries a penalty.
basic
If we cancel now, there's a penalty.
natural
We had to pay a late penalty on the bill.
natural
That handball gave the other team a penalty.
natural