1
as in punishes
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 humiliates
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for chastens
Verb
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Then punishes him by icing him for weeks by not responding to his contacting her.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Denver Post,
22 Jan. 2026 -
The puzzle of why Washington punishes allies, or even potentially friendly states such as India or Brazil, is thus easily explained.—
Pratap Bhanu Mehta,
Time,
15 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Thecla humiliates him by ripping his robe and tearing the wreath off his head.—
Christy Cobb,
The Conversation,
16 Jan. 2026
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To show him who’s boss, Catherine turns around and buys Pac-North, humiliates him by closing it, and forces him back to Grey Sloan.—
Maggie Fremont,
Vulture,
9 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The praiseworthyness of having both sides of the debate evaporates when the host actively discredits the expert and reflexively enhances the legitimacy of the conspiracy theorist.—
Rafael Perez,
Oc Register,
1 Dec. 2025
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Yet despite its popularity, research discredits this long-standing belief.—
Taryn White,
Travel + Leisure,
29 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Those early days were quite something, and to know that moment meant something to you all these years on truly humbles me.—
Emma Specter,
Vogue,
18 Dec. 2025
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But Grande’s conceited blonde bubblehead gains in stature here as Glinda assumes statesmanlike responsibility to spread goodness in Oz, while experiencing crushing romantic disappointment that humbles her and deflates her vanity.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
18 Nov. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Chastens.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/chastens. Accessed 6 Feb. 2026.
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