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Justyna Jupowicz-Kozak
CEO of Professional Science Editing for Scientists @ prosciediting.com
applying a penalty
Grammar usage guide and real-world examplesUSAGE SUMMARY
The phrase "applying a penalty" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used in contexts where a punishment or consequence is being enforced for a violation of rules or regulations. Example: "The committee is responsible for applying a penalty to any member who fails to adhere to the established guidelines."
✓ Grammatically correct
Science
News & Media
Formal & Business
Alternative expressions(5)
Table of contents
Usage summary
Human-verified examples
Expert writing tips
Linguistic context
Ludwig's wrap-up
Alternative expressions
FAQs
Human-verified examples from authoritative sources
Exact Expressions
10 human-written examples
The bill says that banks generally must wait until you're 60 days late in making the minimum payment before applying a penalty interest rate to your existing debt.
News & Media
While the proposed model attempts to minimize the total costs of the relief chain, it implicitly maximizes people's satisfaction level in the affected areas through applying a penalty to shortages of relief commodities.
The primary intent of this factor is twofold: to encourage the use of "ductile" anchorage systems – defined in ACI 318 provisions – by applying a penalty factor to "non-ductile" anchors, and to increase design forces on "non-ductile" anchors to more representative of design-level loading.
Limiting the influence of proper names is implemented by applying a penalty to the term frequency, according to (13).
Noise regularization is obtained by applying a penalty to the image resulting from the previous iteration following the one-step late method introduced by Green [17].
Science
This PTV regularization consists in applying a penalty to the MAD obtained in the previous step, directly proportional to the distance between the current and initial PTVs, i.e., the PTV available as input to this module.
Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources
Similar Expressions
50 human-written examples
Underwood also asked that Trump be banned from leading any other New York nonprofit organization for 10 years — seeking to apply a penalty usually reserved for the operators of small-time charity frauds to the president of the United States.
News & Media
Some come with a curfew, and apply a penalty for driving after 11pm.
News & Media
Here, authors have applied a reverse approach that applies a penalty if the client does not meet the SLA agreements.
Science
To then apply a penalty to punish something that people have varying degrees of control over seems to be not just counterproductive but morally dubious".
News & Media
Since the game applies a penalty to a power consumption, the players in tend to use the power in a conservative way.
Expert writing Tips
Best practice
When using "applying a penalty", ensure the context clearly defines the rule or standard that was violated. Specificity enhances clarity.
Common error
Avoid "applying a penalty" without clearly defining the infraction. Vague justifications can lead to perceptions of unfairness.
Source & Trust
80%
Authority and reliability
4.1/5
Expert rating
Real-world application tested
Linguistic Context
The phrase "applying a penalty" functions as a gerund phrase, often used as a subject or part of a verb phrase. It describes the action of imposing a consequence, as evidenced by Ludwig examples in legal, financial, and sports contexts.
Frequent in
Science
34%
News & Media
33%
Formal & Business
16%
Less common in
Academia
8%
Wiki
5%
Encyclopedias
4%
Ludwig's WRAP-UP
In summary, "applying a penalty" is a grammatically correct and commonly used phrase that describes the act of imposing a consequence for a violation. Ludwig AI indicates its prevalent use in science, news, and business contexts. When writing, ensure the context clearly defines the infraction to avoid ambiguity. Alternatives such as "imposing a sanction" or "levying a fine" can be used to refine the meaning based on the specific situation. The phrase maintains a neutral to professional register, making it suitable for various formal and informal communication scenarios.
More alternative expressions(6)
Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:
imposing a sanction
Replaces "penalty" with "sanction", suggesting a more formal or official consequence.
levying a fine
Specifies the penalty as a monetary charge, narrowing the scope of the consequence.
assessing a charge
Similar to "levying a fine", but can also refer to non-monetary penalties.
meting out punishment
Emphasizes the punitive aspect, often used in legal or disciplinary contexts.
enforcing a consequence
Focuses on the implementation of a predetermined result for an action.
decreeing a forfeiture
Implies a legal or official deprivation of property or rights as a penalty.
administering a correction
Suggests a milder, rehabilitative form of penalty, often used in educational settings.
placing a surcharge
Refers to an additional fee added as a penalty or extra cost.
inflicting a disadvantage
Broadens the scope to include any kind of negative impact as a result of an action.
issuing a demerit
Commonly used in systems where points are deducted for infractions, such as driving or employment.
FAQs
What does "applying a penalty" mean?
Applying a penalty means imposing a punishment or consequence for violating a rule, law, or agreement.
What are some alternatives to "applying a penalty"?
You can use alternatives like "imposing a sanction", "levying a fine", or "enforcing a consequence" depending on the context.
How do I use "applying a penalty" in a sentence?
Example: The referee is responsible for "applying a penalty" to players who commit fouls.
What's the difference between "applying a penalty" and "assessing a charge"?
"Applying a penalty" is a general term, while "assessing a charge" specifically refers to imposing a monetary fee or cost.
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Table of contents
Usage summary
Human-verified examples
Expert writing tips
Linguistic context
Ludwig's wrap-up
Alternative expressions
FAQs
Source & Trust
80%
Authority and reliability
4.1/5
Expert rating
Real-world application tested