chastening 1 of 3

adjective

as in punitive
inflicting, involving, or serving as punishment a chastening hour spent cleaning floors should discourage them from further pranks

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

chastening

2 of 3

noun

as in condemnation

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Dissimilar Words

chastening

3 of 3

verb

present participle of chasten
1
as in punishing
to inflict a penalty on for a fault or crime chastened the child with five minutes of sitting in the corner

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in humiliating
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

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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 chastening
Adjective
Sunderland are lurking and, perhaps for the first time under Howe’s management, Newcastle are in deficit, needing a response (yet again) after a chastening night in Europe. — George Caulkin, New York Times, 20 Mar. 2026
Verb
The Italian team arrived at Silverstone after a chastening Austria weekend, one race removed from Lewis Hamilton’s sensational win in Spain. — Alex Kalinauckas, New York Times, 15 July 2026 The American suffered a chastening 6-0, 6-0 defeat to Iga Świątek in the Wimbledon final eight weeks ago, the first time in the Open Era that a women’s player has failed to win a single game in the final at the All England Lawn Tennis Club. — Jamie Barton, CNN Money, 6 Sep. 2025 Two months later, his side suffered a 5-2 defeat to Crystal Palace, followed by a chastening 5-0 loss away to Chelsea in May. — Roshane Thomas, The Athletic, 14 Mar. 2025 Market shakeouts are about testing risk tolerances, forcing a rethink of unexamined premises and, at times, chastening the arrogant. — Michael Santoli, CNBC, 3 Mar. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for chastening
  1. punitive
  2. condemnation
  3. punishing
  4. humiliating
  5. chastisement
  6. discrediting
  7. assessment
  8. humbling
Adjective
  • Train and reframe the narrative to show that surveillance is not punitive but a tool designed to remove friction from their shift.
    — Robert Messer, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
  • Health policy researchers and hospice administrators worry that the negative attention on the industry and potential for overly punitive regulations could put California patients and taxpayers on the losing end.
    — Laurie Udesky, Miami Herald, 30 July 2026
Definition of punitive
Noun
  • This provides the freedom for faculty and students to research, debate, teach and learn without fear of retribution or condemnation.
    — Daniel Diermeier, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
  • The pressure is rising on FIFA President Gianni Infantino to ditch a World Cup privatization plan that could draw investments up to $20 billion, but which has drawn widespread condemnation from most of soccer's worldwide governing bodies.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 31 July 2026
Definition of condemnation
Verb
  • Years of punishing international sanctions and economic crises have hollowed out Venezuela’s once-thriving oil industry.
    — Anna Cooban, CNN Money, 2 Aug. 2026
  • Longtime fans generally expect virtuosic musicianship from Rush, and the second Garden show was no exception, with Lee delivering punishing bass lines and Lifeson blazing away on the guitar.
    — David Chiu, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of punishing
Verb
  • The Iranians are now setting the terms of this conflict and are routinely humiliating the American president.
    — Tom Nichols, The Atlantic, 8 July 2026
  • Instead of demanding personal fealty or humiliating them to assert personal dominance, Lincoln absorbed their egos and occasional slights, elevating their talents and turning his fiercest political adversaries into his most devoted champions.
    — Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 24 June 2026
Definition of humiliating
Noun
  • Case appealed, headed to Idaho Supreme Court Neither side was fully satisfied by the decision — or appeared to take Scott’s chastisement to heart.
    — Rose Evans Updated December 10, Idaho Statesman, 10 Dec. 2025
  • Frail, undernourished, lacking sufficient clothing, and shoeless, Kammo is overburdened by chores and in constant fear of chastisement.
    — JSTOR Daily, JSTOR Daily, 30 Oct. 2025
Definition of chastisement
Verb
  • Kiryl Pazniak, 49, who hosted a popular political show on YouTube, has been convicted on the charges of discrediting Belarus and forming an extremist organization, the group said — accusations widely used by authorities to stifle critical voices.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 2 July 2026
  • Defense attorney Tom Mesereau was an expert at discrediting witnesses, subjects told the filmmakers, but certain key witnesses, like Janet Arvizo, struggled to connect with the jury on their own.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 5 June 2026
Definition of discrediting
Noun
  • But the mission in June 2025 was halted in advance of battle damage assessments and was not restarted after those assessments concluded that the program had set back the Iranian program by only a year or two.
    — KORI SCHAKE, Foreign Affairs, 6 Aug. 2026
  • The proposals would overhaul a state assessment for developmental disabilities, impose caps on residential treatment programs and strengthen community transition after leaving them.
    — Sofia Williams, Sacbee.com, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of assessment
Verb
  • Again, that's what makes this slash to the guide so confusing and humbling.
    — Jeff Marks, CNBC, 6 Aug. 2026
  • So far, the process of sourcing a new Italy coach has been humbling.
    — James Horncastle, New York Times, 28 July 2026
Definition of humbling

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Cite this Entry

“Chastening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/chastening. Accessed 7 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on chastening

Nglish: Translation of chastening for Spanish Speakers

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