chastise

verb chas·tise \ (ˌ)chas-ˈtīz \

|Updated on: 8 Jun 2018

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Examples: chastise in a Sentence

Definition of chastise

chastised; chastising

transitive verb

1 : to censure severely : castigate

The coach chastised the players for their mistakes.

2 : to inflict punishment on (as by whipping)

3 archaic : chasten 2

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chastisement

play \(ˌ)chas-ˈtīz-mənt also ˈchas-təz-\ noun

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chastiser

play \(ˌ)chas-ˈtī-zər\ noun

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Examples of chastise in a Sentence

The waiter was chastised for forgetting the customer's order.
The coach is always chastising the players for minor mistakes.

Recent Examples of chastise from the Web

Even a defender like veteran studio executive Edward Bleier, however, recently took to the pages of industry publication Broadcasting & Cable to chastise Viacom for giving the practice a bad name.

— holman w. jenkins, WSJ, "What CBS’s Boardroom Blood Feud Says About TV," 1 June 2018
In 2013, after being publicly chastised by the appellate defender's office, Brown promised sweeping reforms in her management practices.

— maya dukmasova, Chicago Reader, "Hundreds of Illinois prisoners languish behind bars waiting for Dorothy Brown to do her job," 24 May 2018
In the official document later filed against her, the board chastised her for her ethical breaches and said she wasn’t cut out for the rehab business.

— amy julia harris and shoshana walter, charlotteobserver, "Drug users got exploited. Disabled patients got hurt. One woman benefited from it all. | Charlotte Observer," 21 May 2018
The results are certain to renew debate over decisions by the F.B.I. director at the time, James B. Comey, to publicly chastise Mrs. Clinton in a news conference, and then announce the reopening of the investigation days before Election Day.

— New York Times, "Code Name Crossfire Hurricane: The Secret Origins of the Trump Investigation," 16 May 2018
Most Republicans in the governor’s race, however, have not joined Jones in chastising the right and the party overall remains committed to a small-government agenda, including in education.

— BostonGlobe.com, "Teacher walkouts threaten Republican grip on conservative states," 13 Apr. 2018
With a long future of skin cancer checkups ahead of her, one mom is chastising her younger self for spending every day in a tanning bed.

— julie mazziotta, PEOPLE.com, "Mom with Skin Cancer Chastises Her 16-Year-Old Self for Tanning: 'It's So Not Worth It'," 21 Mar. 2018
Mollo harbored a soft spot for Colson, a humble quasher of hallway gossip who chastised classmates for cursing in her presence, and could imagine him as Benny Southstreet, a small-time gambler distinguished within his crew by his good-heartedness.

— dan greene, SI.com, "Notre Dame Faces Tough Challenge Without Bonzie Colson and His Expertise in Exceeding Expectations," 8 Jan. 2018
Some sports observers only a couple of months ago cheered every Bulls loss as a victory for tanking but now chastise the Sox for being so bad.

— david haugh, chicagotribune.com, "Struggling White Sox finally give their manager reason to smile on emotional day," 13 May 2018

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

Origin and Etymology of chastise

Middle English chastisen, alteration of chasten — see chasten

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

in the meaning defined at sense 2

See Words from the same year

chastise Synonyms

Synonym Discussion of chastise

punish, chastise, castigate, chasten, discipline, correct mean to inflict a penalty on in requital for wrongdoing. punish implies subjecting to a penalty for wrongdoing.