What is the antonym of “compense”?
The antonyms of compense are penalize and punish. The antonyms penalize and punish convey a negative or adverse consequence for an action, while compense implies a positive outcome or reward.
Brief Definitions of the Antonym(s)
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
penalize
To impose a penalty or punishment for an offense or wrongdoing.
Example
If you break the rules, the teacher will penalize you by reducing your grade.
punish
To inflict a penalty or suffering as retribution for an offense or wrongdoing.
Example
The judge decided to punish the criminal with a long prison sentence.
How are these antonyms different from each other?
- 1Penalize implies a negative consequence for an action, such as a fine or reduction in privileges.
- 2Punish implies a more severe consequence, such as imprisonment or physical harm.
- 3Compense implies a positive outcome or reward, such as compensation for a loss or injury.
Good things to know
- 1Legal Context: Use penalize and punish in legal contexts to describe consequences for breaking the law.
- 2Business Context: Use compense to describe compensation or rewards for employees.
- 3Personal Context: Use compense to describe positive outcomes or rewards for personal achievements.
Remember this!
The antonyms have distinct nuances: Penalize and punish imply negative consequences, while compense implies a positive outcome or reward. Use these words in legal and business contexts to describe consequences or rewards, and in personal contexts to describe positive outcomes or rewards for personal achievements.
