Synonyms & Antonyms for chasten

Synonyms

Antonyms

Choose the Right Synonym for chasten

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?

If you say you would "castigate" or "chastise" someone in order to "chasten" them, you demonstrate a good knowledge of the origin of "chasten" - all three verbs derive from the Latin verb castigare, meaning "to punish." The trio shares an initial sense of "to subject to severe and often physical punishment," but all three verbs are now as likely to refer to a verbal dressing-down as a physical lesson. "Chasten" (which arrived in English via Anglo-French chastier) can also be used to mean "to prune of excess, pretense, or falsity." This led to the more general sense of "to make more subdued," although the humility can be imposed by a humiliating situation as easily as by a strict taskmaster.

Examples of chasten in a Sentence

chastened the child with five minutes of sitting in the corner the unexpected loss to a second-rate player really chastened the tournament's top-seeded tennis star

Recent Examples on the Web Only a Trump victory will suitably chasten the many sensible and somewhat highbrow Reagan Republicans who deserted Trump for reasons ranging from outright treachery to tactical misjudgment to mere snobbery. — Conrad Black, National Review, "Hell, Yes," 28 Oct. 2020 The desire to chasten American frackers remains, though. — The Economist, "After the fall Investment in oil supply has collapsed. It may not roar back," 11 June 2020 But the Victoria Woodhull who emerged like the phoenix from the ashes of her demolished life was a new and chastened person. — John Strausbaugh, National Review, "The Scandalous and Pioneering Victoria Woodhull," 8 Feb. 2020 The 50,000 Liverpool fans who were also in the stadium last night, or at least those who happen to be British or Irish, awoke chastened by their team’s defeat—but not banned. — Tom Mctague, The Atlantic, "Trump’s European Travel Ban Doesn’t Make Sense," 12 Mar. 2020 Chuck Todd: What example in the life of Donald Trump has been chastened? — NBC News, "Transcript: Not Guilty," 6 Feb. 2020 But in recent months, the two seem to occupy opposite ends of a teeter-totter, with consumers continuing to spend while business owners and managers are chastened by doubt and uncertainty. — Patricia Cohen, New York Times, "Companies Cut Back, but Consumers Party On, Driving the Economy," 4 Nov. 2019 No matter the scale of its most recent failure, or the number of people who, chastened, insist that the End of History is nigh, socialism always seems to return for more. — Charles C. W. Cooke, National Review, "Help Us Fight the Menace of Socialism," 13 Feb. 2020 Analysts interpreted Trump's actions as a sign he had been emboldened, not chastened, by his impeachment trial. — Harold Maass, TheWeek, "February 7, 2020," 7 Feb. 2020

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