Impunity means exemption from punishment. It differs from the broader immunity, which means (1) the ability to resist a disease, (2) exemption from obligation imposed by others, (3) legally granted freedom from prosecution, and (4) unresponsiveness to influence.
While impunity is a specific type of immunity, careful writers keep the words separate. This can be challenging in uses where the two words come close together. For instance, while impunity is the appropriate word in the common phrase with impunity—meaning without risk of punishment or negative consequences—immunity works better when exemption from punishment is legally granted.
Examples
These examples demonstrate a few of the many uses of immunity:
The only way to treat it is to suppress a patient’s immunity, calming reactions but leaving sufferers vulnerable to any infection. [Mirror]
None of these matters have yet hit home with the voters, giving him some immunity in his conduct of foreign affairs. [NJ.com]
In exchange, Saleh and his family would receive immunity from prosecution. [Denver Post]
And the these writers correctly confine impunity to its narrower sense:
And the silence that surrounds violent extremist attacks, the tacit approval for fear of being next, emboldens the killers to kill again with impunity. [Sydney Morning Herald]
Chu said organized criminals can launder money with impunity in casinos because police departments don’t have the resources to treat that crime as a priority … [The Province]
Before 2003, diplomats enjoyed just this type of impunity when parking on city streets. [Wall Street Journal]
