Synonym Chooser

How is the word chastise distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of chastise are castigate, chasten, correct, discipline, and punish. While all these words mean "to inflict a penalty on in requital for wrongdoing," chastise may apply to either the infliction of corporal punishment or to verbal censure or denunciation.

chastised his son for neglecting his studies

When could castigate be used to replace chastise?

In some situations, the words castigate and chastise are roughly equivalent. However, castigate usually implies a severe, typically public censure.

an editorial castigating the entire city council

When can chasten be used instead of chastise?

While the synonyms chasten and chastise are close in meaning, chasten suggests any affliction or trial that leaves one humbled or subdued.

chastened by a landslide election defeat

When might correct be a better fit than chastise?

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

the function of prison is to correct the wrongdoer

When is discipline a more appropriate choice than chastise?

Although the words discipline and chastise have much in common, discipline implies a punishing or chastening in order to bring under control.

parents must discipline their children

In what contexts can punish take the place of chastise?

The words punish and chastise are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, 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 chastise Government officials chastised the court for requiring the men to remain in American custody, rather than sending them to South Sudan. Eduardo Cuevas, USA Today, 21 May 2025 Watching Williams run, Mike Vrabel got hot and chastised his star pass rusher for not sprinting to the end. Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 13 May 2025 Mom walked me home chastising me about not keeping my word to be home at a certain time. Bea L. Hines, Miami Herald, 9 May 2025 On Wednesday, the country's current foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, took to social media to once again chastise — and even threaten retaliation against — the president's plan to move toward a name change. Meredith Kile, People.com, 7 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for chastise
Recent Examples of Synonyms for chastise
Verb
  • After the period, the TNT crew scolded Luostarinen for not keeping his stick on the ice.
    Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 15 June 2025
  • The estranged wife of actor Scott Wolf was seemingly detained by law enforcement during an Instagram livestream, during which she can be heard scolding officers and alleging she was abused.
    Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 13 June 2025
Verb
  • Wayne trounced his competition with punishing punchlines and steely wordplay.
    Carl Lamarre, Billboard, 6 June 2025
  • The state then passed new laws aimed at punishing such gouging, and no new similar incidents have happened since then.
    Thomas Elias, Mercury News, 6 June 2025
Verb
  • What follows is a series of painful-to-watch confrontations between the two, in which Ace reprimands Amaya for normal human behavior, like expecting the guy who chose her to show some romantic interest, in the low, measured tone of a psychopath.
    Kathleen Walsh, Vulture, 11 June 2025
  • Manford was reprimanded for the incident; a male coworker who had done something similar a month before faced no repercussions, according to court documents.
    Caroline Zimmerman, Kansas City Star, 6 June 2025
Verb
  • Several Make America Great Again (MAGA) figures, such as Laura Loomer, are criticizing Democratic Minnesota Governor Tim Walz over his ties to the suspect in Saturday's deadly shooting.
    Mandy Taheri Hollie Silverman, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 June 2025
  • Dominican born, and now a U.S. citizen, Almanzar criticized the flurry of ICE arrests across the city.
    Emma Seiwell, New York Daily News, 14 June 2025
Verb
  • Rather than lecturing, Kahn recommends guiding them to draw their own conclusions.
    Lydia Wang, Parents, 20 May 2025
  • Trump stated during his big speech on the trip that his administration was not there to lecture the region on how to deal with its affairs.
    Brittney Melton, NPR, 16 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Chastise.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/chastise. Accessed 19 Jun. 2025.

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