1
as in scolded
to criticize (someone) severely or angrily especially for personal failings
castigated him for his constant tardiness
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in attacked
to criticize harshly and usually publicly
a newspaper editorial castigating the city council for approving the project in the first place
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in punished
to inflict a penalty on for a fault or crime
a judge who believes in castigating criminals to the full extent of the law
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of castigated
Labor advocacy groups also castigated the governor’s decision Friday afternoon.
—
Katie Langford, Denver Post, 29 May 2026
His memorable scene from the pic saw Jerjerrof being castigated by Darth Vader for the slow construction of the second Death Star.
—Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 11 May 2026
Just days before the child’s death, Supervisor Arenas had castigated agency officials for concealing a November status report from the state that listed unresolved concerns.
—Julia Prodis Sulek, Mercury News, 16 Apr. 2026
Trump castigated the court for not spelling out what happens to the tens of billions of dollars the government has already collected.
—Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 20 Feb. 2026
Also, lawmakers repeatedly castigated the insurance executives for trying to pad their profits by denying or delaying approval of the care doctors say their patients need.
—Tami Luhby, CNN Money, 24 Jan. 2026
Trump has castigated European allies, particularly Denmark, for doing too little to protect the region.
—Didi Kirsten Tatlow, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Nov. 2025
Broward Sheriff Gregory Tony also castigated the deputies for mishandling the 14 calls Mary made to BSO in the year leading up to her death.
—Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 7 Oct. 2025
The court gave the green light for those sweeping immigration operations to continue in Los Angeles — a decision that was praised by the White House and castigated by immigrant rights advocates.
—Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Oc Register, 10 Sep. 2025
Katie Langford, Denver Post, 29 May 2026
His memorable scene from the pic saw Jerjerrof being castigated by Darth Vader for the slow construction of the second Death Star.
—Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 11 May 2026
Just days before the child’s death, Supervisor Arenas had castigated agency officials for concealing a November status report from the state that listed unresolved concerns.
—Julia Prodis Sulek, Mercury News, 16 Apr. 2026
Trump castigated the court for not spelling out what happens to the tens of billions of dollars the government has already collected.
—Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 20 Feb. 2026
Also, lawmakers repeatedly castigated the insurance executives for trying to pad their profits by denying or delaying approval of the care doctors say their patients need.
—Tami Luhby, CNN Money, 24 Jan. 2026
Trump has castigated European allies, particularly Denmark, for doing too little to protect the region.
—Didi Kirsten Tatlow, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Nov. 2025
Broward Sheriff Gregory Tony also castigated the deputies for mishandling the 14 calls Mary made to BSO in the year leading up to her death.
—Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 7 Oct. 2025
The court gave the green light for those sweeping immigration operations to continue in Los Angeles — a decision that was praised by the White House and castigated by immigrant rights advocates.
—Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Oc Register, 10 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for castigated
Verb
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The child, now 6 years old, only hears her full name when she's being scolded — though Kendra and Bill are currently trying to undo that pattern.—
Rachel Raposas,
PEOPLE,
27 May 2026
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Katie Porter scolded, Tom Steyer channeled Bernie.—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
6 May 2026
Verb
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Three people were killed and 20 more people were attacked by bears across at least nine prefectures between April and June 2, according to public broadcaster NHK.—
Jessie Yeung,
CNN Money,
9 June 2026
-
During the Gaza war, the Houthis attacked commercial shipping in the Red Sea — including ships with no link to Israel — to pressure Israel into lifting its blockade on the enclave.—
Nabih Bulos,
Los Angeles Times,
8 June 2026
Verb
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Her attorneys argue she is being punished for her honesty.—
Andy Rose,
CNN Money,
29 May 2026
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My thesis this week for a bearish-to-bullish reversal rested on the idea that ZS had been unfairly punished and that the 50-day moving average was turning positive.—
Michael Khouw,
CNBC,
28 May 2026
Verb
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Sharon is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, an Honorary Member of the UK Association of Jungian Analysts, and has taught and lectured at many academic institutions, Jungian organisations, retreat centres and cultural festivals around the world.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 June 2026
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It was also being lectured by people who presented a formulaic perspective on a complicated future that the class of 2026 is already navigating.—
Ann Kirschner,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2026
Verb
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Additionally, Wallen was also slammed by several local figures.—
Shania Russell,
Entertainment Weekly,
7 June 2026
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Without hesitation, Towns drove past the 7-4 unanimous Defensive Player of the Year, and slammed home a finish.—
Fiifi Frimpong,
New York Daily News,
6 June 2026
Verb
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The employee has been reprimanded.—
Zachary Schermele,
USA Today,
3 June 2026
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Yeboah was being reprimanded for an incident in Wednesday’s training session, but the exact circumstances are not yet known.—
Andy Greder,
Twin Cities,
23 May 2026
Verb
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Advocates have long criticized the conditions at the Aurora facility, and those complaints — alongside concerns that more facilities could open in the state — helped drive HB 1276’s contents.—
Seth Klamann,
Denver Post,
9 June 2026
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Bass has called for hiring more officers and defending her Inside Safe homelessness program, while Raman has criticized the cost of police raises, called for broader public-safety responses and argued that the city needs a more accountable and cost-effective homelessness system.—
Teresa Liu,
Daily News,
9 June 2026
Verb
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In March 2026, a detainee escaped from the facility, which ICE officials blamed on the contractors' inability to track people housed there.—
Trevor Hughes,
USA Today,
9 June 2026
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Its satellites have been blamed for interfering with astronomical observations and posing an ever-increasing risk of space collisions.—
Business Columnist,
Los Angeles Times,
9 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Castigated.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/castigated. Accessed 10 Jun. 2026.
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