1
as in to scold
to criticize (someone) severely or angrily especially for personal failings
castigated him for his constant tardiness
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to attack
to criticize harshly and usually publicly
a newspaper editorial castigating the city council for approving the project in the first place
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to punish
to inflict a penalty on for a fault or crime
a judge who believes in castigating criminals to the full extent of the law
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of castigate
Nowhere is this more evident than in Sudan, where critics castigate the UAE’s backing of the Rapid Support Forces, a paramilitary faction accused of genocide in the country’s civil war.
—
Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 20 Jan. 2026
Rather than confronting Scrooge with things beyond his human comprehension — immutable calm, boundless generosity, pitiless void — all three spirits simply end up castigating him.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 5 Dec. 2025
At the same time, the barrage of vitriol unleashed by China castigating Takaichi as a warmongering militarist includes a reprehensible threat by the Chinese consul-general in Osaka about beheading Takaichi.
—Jeff Kingston, Time, 30 Nov. 2025
Trump has castigated European allies, particularly Denmark, for doing too little to protect the region.
—Didi Kirsten Tatlow, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for castigate
Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 20 Jan. 2026
Rather than confronting Scrooge with things beyond his human comprehension — immutable calm, boundless generosity, pitiless void — all three spirits simply end up castigating him.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 5 Dec. 2025
At the same time, the barrage of vitriol unleashed by China castigating Takaichi as a warmongering militarist includes a reprehensible threat by the Chinese consul-general in Osaka about beheading Takaichi.
—Jeff Kingston, Time, 30 Nov. 2025
Trump has castigated European allies, particularly Denmark, for doing too little to protect the region.
—Didi Kirsten Tatlow, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for castigate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for castigate
Verb
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At one point her mother, Ri Sol Ju, appears to gently scold her for some transgression as Kim watches with a broad smile.—
Jen Kwon,
CBS News,
6 Mar. 2026
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But Saxon said Ye kept him constantly on edge, demanding photo updates of construction work, scolding him for wearing blue instead of the all-black worker uniform Ye preferred, and suddenly adding 24/7 security duties to his workload.—
Nancy Dillon,
Rolling Stone,
25 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry said in a statement that Iranian drones attacked its exclave of Nakhchivan and damaged an airport building.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
6 Mar. 2026
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But threats from Iran to attack any ships in the region outweigh the promises of support.—
Vanessa Yurkevich,
CNN Money,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
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There’s water everywhere, approach angles that punish the wrong side of the fairway, and a closing stretch with a long history of turning good rounds into cautionary tales.—
Jenny Catlin,
New York Times,
12 Mar. 2026
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During an explosive court hearing in the lawsuit accusing former Miami Commissioner Joe Carollo of using city resources to punish political opponents, an unexpected character with little connection to City Hall took center stage this week.—
Linda Robertson,
Miami Herald,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
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An ardent supporter of military action against Iran, Graham criticized Israel in a social media post on Sunday regarding the strikes on the oil facilities.—
Washington Examiner Staff,
The Washington Examiner,
9 Mar. 2026
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Instead, federal health officials criticized Democrats broadly, arguing that blue states are participating in fraud and mismanagement of federal funds in public health programs.—
Angela Hart,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
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But a final autopsy report determined there was no link between the fight — during which Mejia appeared to slam her head into a wall — and her death.—
Ruben Vives,
Los Angeles Times,
12 Mar. 2026
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The collision sent the fire truck careening into an Access-a-Ride bus, which in turn slammed into a Lexus SUV, police said.—
Colin Mixson,
New York Daily News,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Cluelessly, the Biden administration lectured Israel about its military response.—
Susan Shelley,
Oc Register,
7 Mar. 2026
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Therefore, now is not the time to be lecturing our partners and allies.—
Holly Ellyatt,
CNBC,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Giving these rewards is logistically difficult, expensive for the teacher, and insulting for the kid.—
Scott Ervin,
Boston Herald,
8 Mar. 2026
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She was detained in September and charged with posting propaganda critical of the Islamic Republic on social media and insulting its Supreme Leader and Islam, according to her son Reza Zarrabi, a political activist who lives in Germany.—
Philip Marcelo,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Last year, the State Commission on Judicial Conduct publicly reprimanded and admonished Givens, citing conduct that included allowing a staff member to impersonate her during a 2021 bond hearing and taking action in cases after she had been recused.—
Gromer Jeffers Jr,
Dallas Morning News,
9 Mar. 2026
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Days later, the House voted to reprimand Garcia after a fellow Democrat brought a censure resolution to the floor.—
David Sivak,
The Washington Examiner,
5 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Castigate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/castigate. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.
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