1
as in punished
to inflict a penalty on for a fault or crime
chastened the child with five minutes of sitting in the corner
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in humiliated
to reduce to a lower standing in one's own eyes or in others' eyes
the unexpected loss to a second-rate player really chastened the tournament's top-seeded tennis star
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 chastened
By now too many of us are wary of what’s being sold — sensitized by two years of deepfakes and soft slop, chastened by two decades of social media and rage-farming.
—
Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 9 Feb. 2026
Russia and China, though chastened by their inability to protect Venezuela, retain a strong interest in propping up Havana, given Cuba’s location just 90 miles south of Key West.
—Vivian Salama, The Atlantic, 11 Jan. 2026
But do the hierarchy want another frank agitator in Maresca, having been sufficiently chastened by Amorim’s semi-regular public declarations?
—Peter South, New York Times, 5 Jan. 2026
Further, chastened by the backlash, the Warren Court, for the next four years with rare exceptions, maintained the status quo on a broad array of issues.
—Time, 14 Nov. 2025
Many have read Gödel and come away chastened by the limits of certainty—without concluding, as Richardson did, that the logical next step was to spend your life playing cards and paying prostitutes.
—Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 4 Aug. 2025
Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 9 Feb. 2026
Russia and China, though chastened by their inability to protect Venezuela, retain a strong interest in propping up Havana, given Cuba’s location just 90 miles south of Key West.
—Vivian Salama, The Atlantic, 11 Jan. 2026
But do the hierarchy want another frank agitator in Maresca, having been sufficiently chastened by Amorim’s semi-regular public declarations?
—Peter South, New York Times, 5 Jan. 2026
Further, chastened by the backlash, the Warren Court, for the next four years with rare exceptions, maintained the status quo on a broad array of issues.
—Time, 14 Nov. 2025
Many have read Gödel and come away chastened by the limits of certainty—without concluding, as Richardson did, that the logical next step was to spend your life playing cards and paying prostitutes.
—Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 4 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for chastened
Verb
-
There is a risk you could be brought back to court and punished.—
Janine Henni,
PEOPLE,
9 Apr. 2026
-
If men do wrong, they get punished.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The Rockies have been humiliated before in their first home game, but never as badly as this.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
4 Apr. 2026
-
The leadership of the country that has threatened the stability and prosperity of the world will eventually be ousted, disempowered and humiliated.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The financial motive was also discredited as George had previously turned down his share of the family inheritance.—
Patrick Salland,
Kansas City Star,
7 Apr. 2026
-
The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, along with other medical organizations, considers the technique scientifically discredited.—
Tom Bartlett,
The Atlantic,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Bruce Jay Parker had always been quirky, in ways that generally delighted his friends and acquaintances, and frequently embarrassed his wife and two daughters.—
Ashley Parker,
The Atlantic,
4 Apr. 2026
-
The Yankees embarrassed the San Francisco Giants on the road to begin the 2026 MLB season.—
Tyler Erzberger,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Biolos said he’s honored and humbled to be recognized by SIMA and share the night with the other honorees.—
Laylan Connelly,
Oc Register,
7 Apr. 2026
-
Meantime, what Michigan has done lately - cruised on a murderous March march that humbled Arizona into submission into the national semifinal - does matter.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
6 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Chastened.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/chastened. Accessed 13 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
