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
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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
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Recent Examples of chastened
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
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
-
Indiana physically punished Alabama in the quarterfinal.—
Michael Cunningham,
AJC.com,
12 Jan. 2026
-
People who have been punished but treated humanely have a far greater chance of successfully reintegrating into society, an important consideration for all of us.—
Mary Buser,
New York Daily News,
12 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
She had never been arrested before and felt humiliated when her mugshot was plastered all over the news after her arrest.—
Grethel Aguila,
Miami Herald,
12 Dec. 2025
-
She was humiliated when her oldest son was forced to testify in a divorce case.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
The admission of the Afrikaners was based on claims, which have been discredited, that white South African farmers were being killed in large numbers.—
Julia Ainsley,
NBC news,
25 Nov. 2025
-
Original studies suggesting a link were flawed and have been discredited.—
Beth Warren,
Nashville Tennessean,
22 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
During our first visit, Maryam, embarrassed by her English, refused to ask the salesperson a question.—
Jennifer Obel,
Denver Post,
12 Jan. 2026
-
We’re all supposed to be embarrassed by prizes or feel above them or apart from them.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
6 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
But against a Philadelphia Eagles team that humbled the Rams earlier in the season, the defense gave up too many explosives and the offense couldn’t convert a fourth down in the red zone with 26 seconds to play in a six-point loss.—
Adam Grosbard,
Oc Register,
9 Jan. 2026
-
Both left office humbled, burdened with lousy poll numbers and facing a well of deep voter discontent.—
Mark Z. Barabak,
Mercury News,
7 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Chastened.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/chastened. Accessed 15 Jan. 2026.
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