retributive
rih-TRIB-yuh-tiv
/rɪˈtrɪb.jə.tɪv/
Relating to punishment inflicted on someone as vengeance or repayment for a wrong or criminal act.
Focuses on moral balance through proportional punishment rather than rehabilitation or deterrence.
The story behind the word. From Latin 'retribuere', meaning 'to pay back in return'. Early legal codes viewed crime as creating a moral deficit that required 'paying back' an equal amount of suffering.
Word relationships
- punitive: 'Punitive' describes any act intended to punish, whereas 'retributive' specifically implies restoring a moral balance through fitting punishment.
- vindicatory: Emphasizes clearing one's name or seeking revenge rather than institutional legal punishment.
- restorative: Focuses on repairing harm and reconciling relationships rather than punishing offenders.
- rehabilitative: Focuses on reforming the offender rather than punishing them.
Commonly confused with
- distributive: Retributive concerns punishing wrongs; distributive concerns sharing goods.
Word family
- retribution (noun): Punishment inflicted on someone as vengeance for a wrong act.
Collocations
- retributive justice
- retributive punishment
- retributive measure
- retributive urge
Example sentences
- "The judicial system balances retributive penalties with restorative rehabilitation programs." Legal Theory
- "Retributive theories of law demand that the severity of punishment match the gravity of the crime." Philosophy of Law
Memory hook
RETRIBUTive justice RE-TRIBUTES (pays back) bad deeds with punishment. Paying back crimes with fitting punishment.
When not to use
Do not use when discussing economic distribution or asset sharing.
Fun facts
- The phrase 'an eye for an eye' from ancient legal codes like Hammurabi's is the classic historical example of retributive logic.
Related words
Explore more words
retribution, vengeance, avenge, vindictive, punitive, vindictiveness
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