penalty

/pˈɛnəlti/ · 3 syllables

Meaning

noun

1. the act of punishing
2. a payment required for not fulfilling a contract
3. the disadvantage or painful consequences of an action or condition
   “neglected his health and paid the penalty”
4. (games) a handicap or disadvantage that is imposed on a competitor (or a team) for an infraction of the rules of the game

Synonyms for penalty

• punishment
• penalization
• penalisation

Antonyms of penalty

• reward