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A state or country's penal code defines its crimes and describes its punishments. During the 18th and 19th centuries, many countries established penal colonies, where criminals were sent as punishment. Often these were unbearably severe; but it was to such colonies that some of Australia's and the United States' early white inhabitants came, and the convicts provided labor for the European settlement of these lands.
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Examples of penal in a Sentence
Marianne Mather, Chicago Tribune, 16 May 2024
This will highlight the penal green surrounds, while shorter rough gives opportunity for aggressive approach shots to the green.
—Jay Ginsbach, Forbes, 27 Mar. 2024
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These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'penal.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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“Penal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/penal. Accessed 29 May. 2024.
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penal
adjective
Legal Definition
penal
adjective
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