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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
To be fair, fellow-Sikhs also infer devotion and discipline, although these are neither the only readings nor the most common. Manvir Singh, New Yorker, 21 June 2025 The two things are not necessarily directly correlated, as Proctor’s sequence of discipline fell under the tenures of three agency leaders. Flint McColgan, Boston Herald, 20 June 2025
Verb
The resulting narrative portrayed the workers as respectable, sober, disciplined homeowners and family men, while the Pinkertons became an external, extralegal threat. Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 15 June 2025 Harris’ portrayal of Eric reminded me of my father’s own demeanor: wise, disciplined, and always there. Okla Jones, Essence, 15 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for discipline
Recent Examples of Synonyms for discipline
Noun
  • Soon, each department will need to make an additional 5.5% cut, said Davenport, whose office drafts the budget and leads labor negotiations.
    Rebecca Ellis, Los Angeles Times, 24 June 2025
  • The county Sheriff’s Office is handling the investigation under a reciprocal agreement with San Diego police so neither department investigates its own officers or deputies.
    Caleb Lunetta, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 June 2025
Noun
  • The most extreme punishment the 24-year-old could receive is a ban spanning four years.
    Phil Hay, New York Times, 20 June 2025
  • While many see Juneteenth as an opportunity to celebrate freedom, the truth is that slavery still exists today, in prisons around the country, due to the loophole in the 13th Amendment that permits enslavement as punishment for a crime.
    Nuri Kino, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 June 2025
Noun
  • Some voices, such as Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, have urged restraint against rushing to defer to Israel’s efforts—putting leading leftists in an odd confluence with folks like Carlson and former Trump counselor Steve Bannon.
    Philip Elliott, Time, 17 June 2025
  • While members called for restraint and diplomacy, divisions remain.
    Amir Daftari, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 June 2025
Verb
  • Road America punishes hesitation and rewards nerve, making every session breathtaking.
    Jenny Catlin, New York Times, 20 June 2025
  • The Administration’s political calculus seems aimed at punishing and intimidating Democrats who challenge the President’s agenda.
    Jonathan Blitzer, New Yorker, 18 June 2025
Noun
  • One area of contention is around the cost of the reconciliation legislation.
    Zach Halaschak, The Washington Examiner, 26 June 2025
  • Two Kansas City suburbs are home to some of the safest drivers in the country, a new report says, while other parts of the area has become substantially more risky to drive in over the last 10 years.
    Joseph Hernandez, Kansas City Star, 26 June 2025
Noun
  • There’s no legitimate reason businesses need to be shelling out money for lawyers and civil penalties over such things.
    The Editorial Board, Oc Register, 25 June 2025
  • Deploy third-party expertise to validate the compliance posture, avoid potential fines and penalties and minimize internal workloads. 7.
    Michelle Drolet, Forbes.com, 24 June 2025
Noun
  • Human rights groups have also warned that near-total internet blackouts across Iran can be used as a tool of repression, blocking the population from sharing information with the outside world.
    Chantal Da Silva, NBC news, 25 June 2025
  • Decades of repression, economic mismanagement and growing legitimacy crises have left the regime weakened at home.
    Pegah Banihashemi, Chicago Tribune, 25 June 2025
Noun
  • Working as part of a collaboration often scrubs the more human elements from the story, those moments that might be unflattering are the moments that remind people that these mythic figures of our imagination are, in fact, flawed humans, just like you and me.
    Brendan O’Meara June 23, Literary Hub, 23 June 2025
  • The third element involves moving the listing to multiple listing services, or MLS, and onto aggregation sites like Zillow.
    Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 23 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Discipline.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/discipline. Accessed 2 Jul. 2025.

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