Definition of CASTIGATION

Choose the Right Synonym for castigate

punish, chastise, castigate, chasten, discipline, correct mean to inflict a penalty on in requital for wrongdoing. punish implies subjecting to a penalty for wrongdoing. punished for stealing chastise may apply to either the infliction of corporal punishment or to verbal censure or denunciation. chastised his son for neglecting his studies castigate usually implies a severe, typically public censure. an editorial castigating the entire city council chasten suggests any affliction or trial that leaves one humbled or subdued. chastened by a landslide election defeat discipline implies a punishing or chastening in order to bring under control. parents must discipline their children correct implies punishing aimed at reforming an offender. the function of prison is to correct the wrongdoer

Did You Know?

Castigate has a synonym in chastise - both verbs mean to punish or to censure someone. Fittingly, both words derive from the same root: the Latin castigare, formed from the words for "pure" (castus) and "to drive" (agere). (Castus also gave us the noun caste, meaning "social class or rank.") Another verb derived from castigare is chasten, which can also mean "to discipline by punishment" but more commonly means "to subdue or make humble" (as in "chastened by his foolish error"). Castigate is the youngest of the three verbs in English, dating from the early 17th century, some three centuries after chasten and chastise.

Examples of castigate in a Sentence

The author castigated the prime minister as an ineffective leader. castigated him for his constant tardiness

Recent Examples on the Web

The entire Democratic and media establishment went into meltdown mode, castigating Mr. Schultz as out of touch and a menace to those candidates who might deliver the country... — Kimberley A. Strassel, WSJ, "Clash of the Billionaire Politicians," 31 Jan. 2019 Republican lawmakers and even Trump have started to castigate Riyadh over Khashoggi’s death. — Alex Ward, Vox, "Turkey’s unrelenting pressure on Saudi Arabia over Khashoggi, explained.," 24 Oct. 2018 President Trump regularly castigates Amazon Chief Executive Jeff Bezos and says the e-commerce giant should pay more in taxes. — Lauren Weber, WSJ, "Amazon’s Wage Increase Adds Pressure for Employers to Boost Pay," 2 Oct. 2018 Former Archbishop Raymond Hunthausen was beloved by many and castigated by others for his support of nuclear disarmament, gay rights and broader roles for women within the church. — Janet I. Tu, The Seattle Times, "Seattle Archbishop Emeritus Raymond Hunthausen dies at 96," 23 July 2018 Indeed, Paul Krugman castigated Mr. Nordhaus in 2013 for his belief that the optimal temperature increase is 4.1 degrees. — David R. Henderson, WSJ, "A Nobel Economics Prize for the Long Run," 8 Oct. 2018 In the speech at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum, Pompeo castigated Iran's political, judicial and military leaders, too, accusing several by name of participating in widespread corruption. — Will Lester, Fox News, "Trump fires off explosive threat to Iran's leader," 23 July 2018 The filing includes a transcript of Gaughan castigating attorney Gabriel Fuentes, who represents the owners of WBEZ-FM 91.5, at a recent hearing. — Megan Crepeau, chicagotribune.com, "News media ask state Supreme Court to intervene in fight over secrecy in Jason Van Dyke's case," 11 May 2018 Trying to ignore these feelings or castigate yourself for having them can simply make these emotions stronger, Dr. Beresin says, which can result in a vicious cycle. — Mattie Quinn, SELF, "10 Tips for Dealing With Family Estrangement During the Holidays," 21 Nov. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'castigate.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.