glutton for punishment

noun

One who persists in an effort in spite of harmful or unpleasant results.

“I should have quit this job long ago, but I guess I'm just a glutton for punishment.”

Similar
sucker for punishment
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Meanings

nounglutton for punishment (plural gluttons for punishment)

plural gluttons for punishment

  1. idiomaticOne who persists in an effort in spite of harmful or unpleasant results.

    I should have quit this job long ago, but I guess I'm just a glutton for punishment.

    1 more example

    Other gluttons for punishment include Phil Whittingham, from Avanti West Coast, who has returned for four events in a row.

    2021 October 6, Paul Bigland, “The hills were alive... again”, in RAIL, number 941, page 54

    Synonyms: sucker for punishment

Synonyms & antonyms

nounOne who persists in an effort in spite of harmful or unpleasant results.

Similar
sucker for punishment
Also see
brute for punishmentsucker for punishment
Cite this entry
APA

glutton for punishment. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/glutton%20for%20punishment

MLA

“glutton for punishment.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/glutton%20for%20punishment. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “glutton for punishment,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/glutton%20for%20punishment.

Source: glutton for punishment on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.