punishment

/ˈpʌnɪʃmənt/

//ˈpʌnɪʃmənt// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"punishment" is a 10-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“punishment” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #4,040 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#4,040
frequency rank, English
10
letters
16
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - The act (action) or process of punishing, imposing and/or applying a sanction, typically by an authority or a person in authority (for example: a parent or teacher), especially when disappointed or...

Key facts for punishment
PropertyValue
Headwordpunishment
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈpʌnɪʃmənt/
Letters10
Frequency rank#4,040
Misspellings tracked16
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “punishment” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). punishment lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for punishment is 10 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈpʌnɪʃmənt/. Corpus data places it at rank #4,040 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 4 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 16 likely wrong-spelling variants for punishment, with forms such as "pnuishment", "ppunishment", and "puinshment". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, which typically means the spelling is too distinctive to be mistaken for another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English punishement, from Old French punissement, from punir (“to punish”). Equivalent to punish + -ment. Displaced native Old English wīte. The correct English form is punishment, spelled P-U-N-I-S-H-M-E-N-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    The act (action) or process of punishing, imposing and/or applying a sanction, typically by an authority or a person in authority (for example: a parent or teacher), especially when disappointed or dissatisfied with the behavior or actions of a child, student, or someone else being looked after.
  2. 2
    A penalty to punish wrongdoing, especially for crime.
  3. 3
    A suffering by pain or loss imposed as retribution.
  4. 4
    Any harsh treatment or experience; rough handling.

Etymology

From Middle English punishement, from Old French punissement, from punir (“to punish”). Equivalent to punish + -ment. Displaced native Old English wīte.

Synonyms

castigationchasteningchastisementcorrectiongruelpunishmentpunition

This word in other languages

castigo(Español)punition(Français)Strafe(Deutsch)castigo(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: pnuishment,ppunishment,puinshment,punihsment,punishemnt,punishhment,punishmennt,punishmentt,punishmetn,punishmment,punishmnet,punismhent,punisshment,punnishment,punsihment,upnishment

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of punishment - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

pnuishment2ppunishment1puinshment2punihsment2punishemnt2punishhment1punishmennt1punishmentt1
Edit distance from "punishment"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "punishment"?
"punishment" is spelled P-U-N-I-S-H-M-E-N-T. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈpʌnɪʃmənt/.
What does "punishment" mean?
As a noun, "punishment" means: The act (action) or process of punishing, imposing and/or applying a sanction, typically by an authority or a person in authority (for example: a parent or teacher), especially when disappointed or...
What are common misspellings of "punishment"?
Common misspellings include "pnuishment", "ppunishment", "puinshment", "punihsment", "punishemnt". The correct spelling is "punishment".
How do you pronounce "punishment"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "punishment" is /ˈpʌnɪʃmənt/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "punishment"?
From Middle English punishement, from Old French punissement, from punir (“to punish”). Equivalent to punish + -ment. Displaced native Old English wīte. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “punishment”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is P-U-N-I-S-H-M-E-N-T - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈpʌnɪʃmənt/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list