Definition of chastenext

Synonym Chooser

How is the word chaste distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of chaste are decent, modest, and pure. While all these words mean "free from all taint of what is lewd or salacious," chaste primarily implies a refraining from acts or even thoughts or desires that are not virginal or not sanctioned by marriage vows.

they maintained chaste relations

How are the words modest and decent related as synonyms of chaste?

Both modest and decent apply especially to deportment and dress as outward signs of inward chastity or purity.

preferred more modest swimsuits
decent people didn't go to such movies

How do pure and chaste relate to one another?

Pure differs from chaste in implying innocence and absence of temptation rather than control of one's impulses and actions.

the pure of heart

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of chaste Since the 19th century, the iconography of submissive, beautiful, chaste, thin, white motherhood has reigned supreme in the cultural imagination. Literary Hub, 7 Apr. 2026 Most notable of these other wives is Vrinda, the chaste wife of the demon Jalandhar. Jessica Vantine Birkenholtz, The Conversation, 24 Mar. 2026 The best time to prune chaste tree is in late winter. Rita Pelczar, Better Homes & Gardens, 27 Dec. 2025 Chihiro and Hiruhiko were engaging in the sort of passionate but chaste dude-bro melodrama that takes place only in shōnen manga. Matt Alt, New Yorker, 25 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for chaste
Recent Examples of Synonyms for chaste
Adjective
  • The sun and moon appear almost the same size in our sky by pure coincidence.
    Jamie Carter, Space.com, 10 May 2026
  • Bubble Up has a more natural taste than many of its competitors because it’s made with pure cane sugar and lemon and lime oils, rather than high-fructose corn syrup and artificial flavors, The Tasting Table reported.
    Teresa Mull, FOXNews.com, 9 May 2026
Adjective
  • The Wells Hotel in Cashiers sits on five pristine acres and boasts its own brewery.
    Meghan Overdeep, Southern Living, 3 May 2026
  • Known for its pristine beaches and stargazing opportunities, the park is a perfect place to camp right on the water, though dogs are not allowed on the beaches or in cabins.
    Patrick Connolly, The Orlando Sentinel, 2 May 2026
Adjective
  • The Stewart garden is described as immaculate, well-tended, delightful and inviting.
    Elizabeth Marie Himchak, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 May 2026
  • Men begetting men is the story, a kind of immaculate cultural reproduction.
    Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 25 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • Instead, the Knicks got out of it clean.
    C.J. Holmes, New York Daily News, 7 May 2026
  • Turn the Yamazaki Tower shelves toward the wall for a clean look without the hassle of shoving things into drawers or behind cabinet doors.
    Kate McGregor, Architectural Digest, 6 May 2026
Adjective
  • Earlier this month, the Kremlin announced that this year’s Victory Day parade, held every May 9th in Red Square to commemorate the Soviet victory in the Second World War, which is typically a show of Russian might, would be a modest, small-scale affair.
    Joshua Yaffa, New Yorker, 8 May 2026
  • America’s 26th president also inspired the region’s Theodore Roosevelt National Park, which safeguards his modest log cabin and a pristine slice of the northern mixed grass prairie and many of the species Roosevelt would have encountered, including bison, prairie dogs and wild horses.
    CNN.com Wire Service, Mercury News, 8 May 2026
Adjective
  • Still, every few minutes, a treasure hunter finds an unsullied remnant and places it in a tote bag or basket for safe keeping.
    Lois K. Solomon, Sun Sentinel, 27 Feb. 2026
  • With almost 13 million acres of the world’s most biodiverse rain forest, rich with jaguars, hummingbirds, and 2,000 butterfly species (take that, Costa Rica), plus some 1,800 miles of unsullied coastline, this country is poised for a tourism boom.
    John Bowe, Travel + Leisure, 1 Feb. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Chaste.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/chaste. Accessed 10 May. 2026.

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