Synonympath A writer should avoid replacing punishment with retribution unless the context emphasizes a response considered deserved, and should avoid using vengeance when the situation involves an impartial and proportionate official penalty. In creative writing, however, these distinctions can strengthen characterization. A protagonist who demands vengeance may be motivated by personal anger, while a character seeking atonement may be attempting to repair the damage caused by earlier mistakes. In an academic essay about criminal justice, penalty, sentence, sanction, and retributive justice may be more suitable than casual expressions such as payback. https://synonympath.com/sadly-synonyms/