discipline 1 of 2

1
2
3

discipline

2 of 2

verb

Synonym Chooser

How is the word discipline distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of discipline are castigate, chasten, chastise, correct, and punish. While all these words mean "to inflict a penalty on in requital for wrongdoing," discipline implies a punishing or chastening in order to bring under control.

parents must discipline their children

When is castigate a more appropriate choice than discipline?

The meanings of castigate and discipline largely overlap; however, castigate usually implies a severe, typically public censure.

an editorial castigating the entire city council

When would chasten be a good substitute for discipline?

The synonyms chasten and discipline are sometimes interchangeable, but chasten suggests any affliction or trial that leaves one humbled or subdued.

chastened by a landslide election defeat

When can chastise be used instead of discipline?

While the synonyms chastise and discipline are close in meaning, chastise may apply to either the infliction of corporal punishment or to verbal censure or denunciation.

chastised his son for neglecting his studies

When might correct be a better fit than discipline?

While in some cases nearly identical to discipline, correct implies punishing aimed at reforming an offender.

the function of prison is to correct the wrongdoer

When is it sensible to use punish instead of discipline?

The words punish and discipline can be used in similar contexts, but punish implies subjecting to a penalty for wrongdoing.

punished for stealing

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 discipline
Noun
Organizations that commit to a discipline of bringing attention to major gifts—such as structured strategy sessions every four to six weeks—create the momentum needed to move donor relationships forward. Karen Cochran, Forbes.com, 23 Apr. 2025 Harvard must investigate and carry out meaningful discipline for all violations that occurred during the 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 academic years, including the Harvard Business School protest of October 2023, the University Hall sit-in of November 2023, and the spring encampment of 2024. Kayla Jimenez, USA Today, 23 Apr. 2025
Verb
Unfortunately, as many organizations have found over the course of many years, disciplined spending practices are often easier to create than to follow. Julia Dhar, Forbes.com, 16 Apr. 2025 Blake Vaughn, a one-term councilman who is not seeking reelection in May, was disciplined by his colleagues April 9 after a closed meeting that lasted over an hour. Elizabeth Campbell, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for discipline
Recent Examples of Synonyms for discipline
Noun
  • Meyer, a captain of Truck 29, joined the department in 1996 and spent most of his nearly 30-year career on the West Side.
    Sam Charles, Chicago Tribune, 25 Apr. 2025
  • Holy Name also has a maternal-fetal medicine department where high-risk practitioners are on-call should they be needed.
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • The solution lies in addressing our housing shortage, not punishment.
    David Bonaccorsi, Mercury News, 22 Apr. 2025
  • In cases of employment, housing, and public accommodation, by simply using one’s freedom of speech to utter a biologically factual pronoun, a person could find him or herself in the crosshairs of a Colorado Civil Rights Division investigation and punishment or possibly a lawsuit.
    Krista Kafer, Denver Post, 21 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Walmart, Whole Foods, and Amazon also faced calls for economic restraint by consumers.
    Karen R. King, Forbes.com, 30 Apr. 2025
  • China, which claims control of part of Kashmir has also called for restraint.
    Tom Rogers, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • The Warriors don’t have enough isolation players who can punish Houston’s aggression.
    Marcus Thompson II, New York Times, 3 May 2025
  • Five current or former Iowa State football coaching staff members have been punished by the NCAA for sports gambling that included bets on the school's men's and women's basketball programs.
    Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 2 May 2025
Noun
  • The floor plan also accommodates a living room area with space for a couch, coffee table, floor lamp, and more.
    Toni Sutton, People.com, 27 Apr. 2025
  • The Jones Road Wildfire was first spotted at approximately 9:45 a.m. on April 22 in the Greenwood Wildlife Management area in Waretown, New Jersey, officials said.
    Megan Forrester, ABC News, 27 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • According to Texas law, these charges can carry a penalty of up to $10,000 in fines and jail time of up to two years.
    Charlotte Phillipp, People.com, 27 Apr. 2025
  • Two of his goals came from the penalty spot, while the other two both saw Surridge run onto a long ball beyond Chicago’s backline.
    Jeff Rueter, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Throughout the show, Kelvin has been so repressed, and that repression has manifested in incredible ways, like the God Squad and the Smut Busters.
    Alison Herman, Variety, 21 Apr. 2025
  • There were militarized zones that reasserted a semblance of order through repression as well as cults of personality organized around a leader’s ability to provide a sense of purpose.
    Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Francis funeral less lavish but keeps some traditions Francis wanted a less opulent burial than is traditional for popes and made changes to the church's book on funeral rites, but some of the usual elements remain in place.
    Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 25 Apr. 2025
  • For The 1st Time — At Lower Prices Fiction as a Loophole A notable element of the technique is its reliance on fictional scenarios to bypass filters.
    Tony Bradley, Forbes.com, 24 Apr. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Discipline.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/discipline. Accessed 6 May. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on discipline

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!