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
as in condemnation
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Dissimilar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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Recent Examples of chastening
Oliver Kay, New York Times, 10 Nov. 2025
Roshane Thomas, New York Times, 28 Sep. 2025
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
Adjective
For all the positivity that greeted back-to-back victories against Aston Villa and Real Madrid over the previous eight days, this was in some ways their most chastening defeat so far.
—Oliver Kay, New York Times, 10 Nov. 2025
Verb
But the feel-good factor evaporated following a chastening 3-0 opening-weekend loss away to promoted Sunderland.
—Roshane Thomas, New York Times, 28 Sep. 2025
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
Adjective
-
Under federal law, Hatton said, civil detainees — including undocumented immigrants — must be held under conditions that are not punitive.—
Sharon Bernstein,
Sacbee.com,
10 Nov. 2025
-
Walsh and his leadership team insist their version is voluntary, not punitive.—
Eva Roytburg,
Fortune,
5 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
The arrest by federal agents of a day care teacher inside a child care center in northwest Chicago has drawn strong condemnation from local leaders.—
Whitney Wild,
CNN Money,
6 Nov. 2025
-
The texts ignited a scandal that drew bipartisan condemnation.—
Mandy Taheri,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Zoning is not meant to be some sort of punishing thing meant to make a city miserable.—
Kim Velsey,
Curbed,
5 Nov. 2025
-
To stop the spiral of impunity, political leaders must recommit to their obligations under international law by investigating, prosecuting and punishing crimes against journalists—even when the pursuit of justice means holding political allies and powerful elites to account.—
Scott Griffen,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
This announcement, humiliating the involved member, is harmful.—
Kelly G. Richardson,
Oc Register,
29 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
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
Verb
-
To be put in this category is discrediting.—
Meredith Wilshere,
PEOPLE,
2 Nov. 2025
-
Already, Cuba’s top diplomats have been sharing propaganda content discrediting Machado as a warmonger.—
Nora Gamez Torres,
Miami Herald,
10 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Experts agree with this assessment.—
Brett Berk,
Robb Report,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Korf and Laber dispute that assessment.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Miami has lost two of its last three outings, including a humbling 26-20 defeat in overtime to SMU in Week 10.—
Jordan Sigler,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 Nov. 2025
-
Nine hours after addressing reporters in the wake of a humbling 28-6 loss to Baltimore, Mike McDaniel was at it again on Friday, speaking to Dolphins reporters via Zoom in the normal day-after-game media availability that’s required for all NFL head coaches.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
31 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Chastening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/chastening. Accessed 20 Nov. 2025.
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