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 discipline and economy of Rosenwald’s philanthropy also provide a chastening contrast to our current hidebound efforts to help people. — Harold Pollack, Chicago Tribune, 14 Aug. 2026 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for chastening
  1. punitive
  2. condemnation
  3. punishing
  4. humiliating
  5. chastisement
  6. discrediting
  7. assessment
  8. humbling
Adjective
  • Trump’s treatment of South Korea is not unique, having taken punitive measures against a slew of allies who refused to back his invasion of Iran.
    — Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 17 Aug. 2026
  • The bill, which would ban homeless encampments statewide, could add more punitive measures to enforcement against unsheltered homelessness in Charlotte.
    — Laura Horne, Charlotte Observer, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of punitive
Noun
  • These measures attracted widespread international condemnation, with several countries and the United Nations criticizing the Taliban’s treatment of women.
    — Andrew Pereira, Encyclopedia Britannica, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Settlers have surrounded three Palestinian houses for more than a week, trapping families inside as Israeli troops declare a closed military zone and Washington issues an unusually sharp condemnation.
    — Sam Metz, Los Angeles Times, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of condemnation
Verb
  • Iran has weathered near-continuous, punishing economic sanctions for nearly 50 years, since the Islamic Revolution of 1979.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 21 Aug. 2026
  • The punishing financial verdicts against Jones and his company, Free Speech Systems, in recent years have forced him into bankruptcy, led to some of his personal property being put up for auction and led to him leaving his Infowars platform.
    — Jim Vertuno, Fortune, 21 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
  • The release of his diaries though, revealed some thoroughly discrediting and upsetting details about Fauci's private beliefs.
    — Ian Miller OutKick, FOXNews.com, 11 Aug. 2026
  • 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
Definition of discrediting
Noun
  • And if bail is necessary to ensure a return to court, the amount must be attainable and based on an assessment of the defendant’s financial circumstances.
    — Evelyn Ronan, Sacbee.com, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Battles over aging parents and their fortunes are becoming increasingly common in wealthy families, with some requiring cognitive assessments for those leading family businesses.
    — Hayley Cuccinello, CNBC, 20 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

Browse Nearby Words

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chastening
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Cite this Entry

“Chastening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/chastening. Accessed 25 Aug. 2026.

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