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
  • The Kinahans seemed to be acting out of pure rage.
    Ed Caesar, New Yorker, 20 Oct. 2025
  • Always test the paint on a pure white backdrop so underlying colors don’t distort the white shade.
    Sophie Flaxman, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • If maintaining a pristine lawn is your priority, removing leaves can prevent mold, rot and patchy grass.
    Diana Leyva, Nashville Tennessean, 21 Oct. 2025
  • Being Imabari towels, these meet the Japanese certification for pristine product quality, made with 100% pima cotton and a specific quality control process.
    Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 20 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • 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
  • No other game has featured two immaculate innings, in which the pitcher retires all three batters on three-pitch strikeouts.
    Jon Paul Hoornstra, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • The home boasts clean lines, a sprawling backyard featuring a fire pit and a pool, as well as a home gym.
    Madison E. Goldberg, PEOPLE, 23 Oct. 2025
  • Some of these mountainsides have dislodged themselves deep in the bedrock, causing the face of a mountain to shear clean off — as has happened at least twice in the last two years.
    Ella Nilsen, CNN Money, 22 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • While second-year quarterback Caleb Williams had a modest outing, completing 15 of 26 passes for 172 yards without a touchdown, Chicago’s ground game stole the spotlight.
    The Athletic NFL Staff, New York Times, 19 Oct. 2025
  • The President praised the speed with which this modest protest was suppressed.
    David Remnick, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 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 24 Oct. 2025.

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