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 Our Lady was chaste, willingly, willfully passive, untainted by the grottiness of ordinary life. Lamorna Ash, The Dial, 6 May 2025 Some medieval and Renaissance artists, for example, portrayed Mary breast-feeding the infant Jesus at a chaste distance, such that the milk spurts of its own accord into his mouth. S. C. Cornell, The New Yorker, 12 Mar. 2025 Hellbent on destroying the pure, chaste and overly self-righteous preacher who denied her satisfaction, Salome performs a seductive dance at her stepfather Herod’s birthday feast. E.r. Zarevich, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 Mar. 2025 For many traditionalists, effective enforcement of this teaching would mean cracking down on homosexuality among the clergy, including gay clergy who are celibate and chaste. Massimo Faggioli, Foreign Affairs, 11 Oct. 2018 See All Example Sentences for chaste
Recent Examples of Synonyms for chaste
Adjective
  • Add a blazer, cardigan, or trench on top—this piece is pure versatility with a side of glam.
    Rosie Marder, Travel + Leisure, 27 Oct. 2025
  • Companies can also come under attack for pure political gain, as seen in then Republican candidate Ron DeSantis’s confrontation with Disney over LGBTQ rights.
    Jason Ma, Fortune, 26 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • To get your bathtub pristine white again, avoid using bleach, ammonia, or super abrasive chemicals.
    Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 28 Oct. 2025
  • South of Tampa and North of Sarasota, the small island town has a lowkey energy and pristine beaches.
    Lydia Price, Travel + Leisure, 28 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Many reviewers credited the beach’s immaculate facilities and amenities— including bathrooms, charcoal grills, tables, and picnic pavilions—for making their visits true trips to paradise.
    Lydia Price, Travel + Leisure, 22 Oct. 2025
  • But with Mayfield playing immaculate hero ball, those issues are less important than the fact that Tampa’s young (and now injured) secondary is exactly the type of game the Lions prefer to hunt.
    J.J. Bailey, New York Times, 19 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Other high-end finds include platform Ugg boots that can literally elevate your winter wardrobe, plus a Bissell vacuum that sucks up debris and washes floors clean.
    Clara McMahon, PEOPLE, 30 Oct. 2025
  • The classic four-poster design pairs with mattresses of all heights and bedding of any style, offering a clean look that never dates.
    Mariana Best, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • In Virginia, moderate Democrat Abigail Spanberger, a former CIA officer and congresswoman, has maintained a modest lead over Republican nominee, Winsome Earle-Sears, the state's current lieutenant governor.
    ABC News, ABC News, 2 Nov. 2025
  • Its modest 10 cubic feet of cargo space isn't exactly designed for grocery hauls.
    Charles Singh, USA Today, 2 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • Ghibli managed to do it in a way that was relatively independent and unsullied of that business.
    Ryan Gaur, IndieWire, 10 June 2025
  • The crux of the change for Tarantino is that the experience of theater is still unsullied, whereas with movies, people are on their phones and the theatrical window is teeny tiny.
    Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 28 Jan. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Chaste.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/chaste. Accessed 3 Nov. 2025.

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