chasten

verb

chas·​ten ˈchā-sᵊn How to pronounce chasten (audio)
chastened; chastening
ˈchās-niŋ,
ˈchā-sᵊn-iŋ How to pronounce chasten (audio)

transitive verb

1
: to correct by punishment or suffering : discipline
If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men2 Samuel 7: 14 (King James Version)
also : purify
2
a
: to prune (something, such as a work or style of art) of excess, pretense, or falsity : refine
b
: to cause to be more humble or restrained : subdue
He was chastened by his team's defeat.
chastener
ˈchās-nər How to pronounce chasten (audio)
ˈchā-sᵊn-ər
noun

Did you know?

Buck up, logophiles! There’s no need to fret if you have a hard time sussing out the finer distinctions between chasten, castigate, and chastise, three verbs with overlapping histories and meanings. All three come (via different routes) from the Latin verb castīgāre, meaning "to punish," and all have been used to refer to physical punishment, but today are more likely to refer to a verbal dressing-down than a rap on the knuckles (or worse). However, while one is usually castigated or chastised by another person, one can be chastened—made to feel humility or embarrassment—by a humbling situation or experience. Just don’t let encountering an unfamiliar or subtle word be one of them; that’s what we’re here for.

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

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 Uproars of this type have had a chastening effect on F.B.I. agents and analysts, according to Elizabeth Neumann, who was a senior Department of Homeland Security official in the George W. Bush and Trump Administrations. David D. Kirkpatrick, The New Yorker, 18 Aug. 2024 Since 2005 Labour has suffered four consecutive defeats, the most recent a historically chastening ballot-box beatdown for then-leader Jeremy Corbyn in 2019. NBC News, 4 July 2024 Related article Against the backdrop of war, Ukraine hopes to show the ‘spirit of our nation’ at Euro 2024 Ukraine suffered a chastening defeat in its opening group game on Monday, producing a dour display in a 3-0 defeat against Romania. Ben Church, CNN, 21 June 2024 The debacle in Sri Lanka is particularly chastening for Pakistan, a country that is heavily dependent on Chinese loans. Husain Haqqani, Foreign Affairs, 2 Aug. 2022 See all Example Sentences for chasten 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'chasten.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

extension with -en entry 2 of earlier chaste "to correct by punishment, discipline," going back to Middle English chasten, borrowed from Anglo-French chastier, castier, caster (also continental Old French castier, chastier, chastoier), going back to Latin castīgāre "to discipline for a fault or lapse, reprove, censure" — more at castigate

Note: Alongside a verb stem chaste in Middle English is a variant chasty, with the medial -i- of the French form taken as part of the stem.

First Known Use

1526, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of chasten was in 1526

Podcast

Dictionary Entries Near chasten

Cite this Entry

“Chasten.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chasten. Accessed 11 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

chasten

verb
chas·​ten ˈchās-ᵊn How to pronounce chasten (audio)
chastened; chastening ˈchās-niŋ How to pronounce chasten (audio)
-ᵊn-iŋ
: to correct by punishment or suffering

More from Merriam-Webster on chasten

Last Updated: - Definition revised
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!