as in punitive
inflicting, involving, or serving as punishment
a chastising lecture on the proper care and feeding of the dog
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in scolding
to criticize (someone) severely or angrily especially for personal failings
a cold, distant father who rarely paid attention to his children except to chastise them
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in punishing
to inflict a penalty on for a fault or crime
the division of opinion regarding the appropriate way to chastise juvenile perpetrators of adult crimes
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of chastising
Lila Shroff, The Atlantic, 10 Apr. 2026
San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, the newest major candidate to enter the race, hewed toward partisan middle ground, chastising leaders in Sacramento for allowing the state budget to balloon without tangible improvements to housing affordability, homelessness and public schools.
—Seema Mehta, Los Angeles Times, 22 Feb. 2026
Unfortunately, instead of chastising their petulant colleagues, nearly every other Democratic politician has decided to join them in thrashing about on the floor.
—Chris Roemer, Baltimore Sun, 19 Feb. 2026
There is inevitably going to be an onslaught of thinkpieces and TikTok rants dedicated to chastising this casting.
—Kathleen Newman-Bremang, Refinery29, 12 Feb. 2026
Close stopped play, chastising her.
—Aaron Heisen, Daily News, 7 Feb. 2026
Kolvet also pushed back against comments online, chastising the president.
—Mabinty Quarshie, The Washington Examiner, 27 Jan. 2026
Equally concerning to democracy defenders is its rhetoric chastising European democracies and apparent willingness to elevate political parties in Europe that reject human rights.
—Shelley Inglis, The Conversation, 6 Jan. 2026
Just the same, this was some unsavory stuff from a team that began the season in Brazil with Reid chastising his players for their effort in an opening loss to the Chargers.
—Kansas City Star, 21 Dec. 2025
Verb
Almost immediately after releasing Einstein, Paliwal started receiving emails from professors chastising him for creating a tool seemingly designed to perpetuate academic fraud.
—Lila Shroff, The Atlantic, 10 Apr. 2026
San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, the newest major candidate to enter the race, hewed toward partisan middle ground, chastising leaders in Sacramento for allowing the state budget to balloon without tangible improvements to housing affordability, homelessness and public schools.
—Seema Mehta, Los Angeles Times, 22 Feb. 2026
Unfortunately, instead of chastising their petulant colleagues, nearly every other Democratic politician has decided to join them in thrashing about on the floor.
—Chris Roemer, Baltimore Sun, 19 Feb. 2026
There is inevitably going to be an onslaught of thinkpieces and TikTok rants dedicated to chastising this casting.
—Kathleen Newman-Bremang, Refinery29, 12 Feb. 2026
Close stopped play, chastising her.
—Aaron Heisen, Daily News, 7 Feb. 2026
Kolvet also pushed back against comments online, chastising the president.
—Mabinty Quarshie, The Washington Examiner, 27 Jan. 2026
Equally concerning to democracy defenders is its rhetoric chastising European democracies and apparent willingness to elevate political parties in Europe that reject human rights.
—Shelley Inglis, The Conversation, 6 Jan. 2026
Just the same, this was some unsavory stuff from a team that began the season in Brazil with Reid chastising his players for their effort in an opening loss to the Chargers.
—Kansas City Star, 21 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for chastising
Adjective
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Voters who worry about Talarico’s deployment of faith may not be reassured by Paxton’s rather punitive approach to Christianity.—
Elizabeth Bruenig,
The Atlantic,
24 Apr. 2026
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Also in February, the White House unveiled Project Vault, a $12 billion initiative to stockpile critical minerals and insulate American industry from punitive export restrictions.—
Charlie Campbell,
Time,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
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First, as the Florida ACLU’s Howard Simon points out, Uthmeier is not scolding another branch of government.—
Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board,
The Orlando Sentinel,
29 Mar. 2026
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Security guard Pascal Duvier, most recently infamous for allegedly scolding 11-year-old Ada Law at a hotel in São Paulo, is clearing the air.—
Emily St. Martin,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Those tensions hit a new high when Reuters published an internal Defense Department email last week that proposed punishing Britain for its position on Iran by reviewing America’s position on the Falkland Islands.—
Freddie Clayton,
NBC news,
29 Apr. 2026
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None of that requires punishing him with a public flogging.—
Armando Salguero OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
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At Yale, where Garber began her career, Jacques Derrida was a frequent visitor, and Paul de Man might be found down the corridor solemnly lecturing on Nietzsche.—
Charlie Tyson,
The Atlantic,
27 Apr. 2026
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How do teachers carry on teaching, lecturing, checking homework and having students prepare for assessments, and how do students enjoy the pleasures that extracurricular activities bring?—
Jerald McNair,
Chicago Tribune,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Hart was reprimanding Ross for doing what is the most offensive thing a comedian can do — suck up to the most important person in the room — and enforcing an old ethic in comedy, which is not apologizing for your jokes.—
Robert Lynch,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Apr. 2026
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Indeed, Ye didn’t say much of anything during the two-hour concert beyond a number of reprimanding comments directed at his stage crew.—
Mikael Wood,
Los Angeles Times,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
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His Instagram reels often show him criticizing the LGBTQ+ community.—
James Queally,
Los Angeles Times,
1 May 2026
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Senator Lisa Murkowski, that Republican of Alaska, who's one of the more notable folks up here on the Hill on the GOP side about criticizing the war in Iran, has floated in conversations with reporters in the hallway here the possibility of drawing up an AUMF and putting it up for a vote.—
Dana Taylor,
USA Today,
1 May 2026
Verb
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But Emirati officials had threatened for years to leave, blaming Opec’s production quotas for unfairly curtailing its oil exports.—
Harriet Marsden,
TheWeek,
30 Apr. 2026
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In 2013, Hall tried (and failed) to replicate the previous magic and his show was cancelled after one season, many blaming tougher competition than before.—
Rick Kogan,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Chastising.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/chastising. Accessed 3 May. 2026.
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