to avoid further penalty

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "to avoid further penalty" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it whenever you are suggesting that someone should take action to prevent the consequences of their actions becoming greater. For example, "Pay your taxes on time to avoid further penalty."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

The British and Irish Lion was sin-binned, the Welsh side perhaps lucky to avoid further penalty, as Hidalgo-Clyne kicked the first of his 25 points.

BBC

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

The lingering stench of violations incurred during Gib Arnold's moderately successful, but ultimately fruitless tenure at the school cast a wide shadow over the program, which racked up regular season wins while waiting on baited breath to see if their self-imposed punishments would be enough to avoid further penalties from the NCAA.

Huffington Post

Hull were on the rack at that point but Casty, back on the field, released the pressure with a late hit on Leon Pryce and appeared lucky to avoid further action while another penalty allowed Sneyd to edge Hull eight clear.

The Guardian - Sport

He said he had signed the agreement to avoid further litigation and possible penalties.

The New York Times

Ainslie disagreed but performed a penalty turn to avoid further sanctions.

BBC

As a result, Mr. Issa said, the commission "may have entered into a 'landmark settlement' resulting in the 'largest-ever penalty paid by a Wall Street firm' in order to avoid further criticism in the press".

The New York Times

To avoid further embarrassment, an Egyptian judge was told to postpone a hearing to confirm the death penalty against Morsi.

Huffington Post

Clive leaves to avoid further trouble.

The New Yorker

"The goal is to avoid further controversy".

The New York Times

"Afterwards, they chose to be silent to avoid further attack.

The Guardian

They want the Somerset project ditched to avoid further difficulties.

The Guardian - Business

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "to avoid further penalty" when you want to emphasize the proactive measure taken to prevent negative repercussions. For example, "The company implemented new safety protocols to avoid further penalty from regulatory bodies".

Common error

Don't use "to avoid further penalty" when a simple correction or apology would suffice. This phrase implies a formal or legal consequence, not just a social faux pas. For example, saying "I apologized to avoid further penalty" after accidentally bumping into someone is inappropriate; a simple "I'm sorry" is better.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "to avoid further penalty" functions as an infinitive phrase expressing purpose. It indicates the reason or intention behind an action, specifically to prevent additional or continued penalties. Ludwig shows this expression being used in formal contexts, such as legal or regulatory situations.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

37%

Science

37%

Wiki

13%

Less common in

Formal & Business

4%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "to avoid further penalty" is a grammatically sound and frequently used expression indicating a proactive intent to prevent additional negative consequences, as confirmed by Ludwig. Analysis reveals that its primary function is to express purpose, typically within neutral to professional contexts such as news reports, scientific publications, and legal documentation. It is commonly found in situations where a previous infraction has occurred or is likely, signaling a desire for compliance and deterrence. While alternatives like "in order to preclude additional sanction" or "so as to prevent added repercussions" exist, "to avoid further penalty" strikes a balance between formality and accessibility. Keep in mind that it is inappropriate for minor social situations.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

so as to prevent added repercussions

Uses "prevent" instead of "avoid" and "repercussions" instead of "penalty", slightly altering the connotation.

with the aim of averting more severe consequences

Replaces "avoid" with "avert" and uses "more severe consequences" to amplify the impact.

in order to preclude additional sanction

Replaces "avoid" with "preclude" and "penalty" with "sanction", creating a more formal tone.

to preclude future punitive measures

Replaces "avoid" with "preclude" and "penalty" with the more formal "punitive measures".

to evade additional repercussions

Substitutes "avoid" with "evade", suggesting an attempt to escape something, and replaces "penalty" with "repercussions".

to forestall subsequent penalties

Uses "forestall", which means to prevent by acting ahead of time, and "subsequent penalties", slightly altering the focus.

with a view to obviating further fines

Substitutes "avoid" with "obviating", implying the removal of the need for fines.

to circumvent further punishment

Employs "circumvent" which implies cleverly finding a way around something and replaces "penalty" with "punishment".

in an effort to mitigate greater sanctions

Employs "mitigate" to reduce the severity of sanctions, rather than avoiding them entirely.

for the purpose of deterring future penalties

Focuses on deterring future penalties, changing the emphasis from immediate avoidance to long-term prevention.

FAQs

How can I use "to avoid further penalty" in a sentence?

You can use "to avoid further penalty" to describe actions taken to prevent future punishments or sanctions. For example, "The company implemented stricter safety measures "to avoid further penalty" from regulatory agencies".

What's a more formal alternative to "to avoid further penalty"?

A more formal alternative to "to avoid further penalty" could be "in order to preclude additional sanctions" or "so as to prevent added repercussions".

Is it always necessary to use "further" with "penalty"?

While using "further" emphasizes the continuation or increase of penalties, it's not always necessary. You can say "to avoid a penalty", but "to avoid further penalty" implies that a penalty has already been incurred or is imminent.

What's the difference between "to avoid further penalty" and "to avoid further punishment"?

"To avoid further penalty" typically refers to formal, legal, or financial repercussions. "To avoid further punishment" is broader and can include any form of negative consequence, whether formal or informal.