impune

unpunished

adjective eem-POO-neh Rare

Origin: From Latin impunis (without punishment), from in- (not) + poena (penalty).

Usage Note

Impune describes an act or person that goes without punishment; it most commonly appears in the fixed adverb impunemente ('with impunity') and in the phrase quedar impune ('to go unpunished'). Unlike English 'unpunished', it carries a moral weight implying outrage that justice was not served. The noun derived from it, impunidad, is a key term in human-rights and legal discourse.

Examples

"El crimen no puede quedar impune."

Natural Translation

The crime cannot go unpunished.

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