castigate
verb
transitive verb
Did you know?
Castigate has a synonym in chastise. Both verbs mean to punish or to censure someone. Fittingly, both words derive from the same root: the Latin castigare, formed from the words for "pure" (castus) and "to drive" (agere). (Castus also gave us the noun caste, meaning "social class or rank.") Another verb derived from castigare is chasten, which can also mean "to discipline by punishment" but more commonly means "to subdue or make humble" (as in "chastened by his foolish error"). Castigate is the youngest of the three verbs in English, dating from the early 17th century, while chasten dates to the early 16th century and chastise has been found in use as far back as the 14th.
Synonyms
- baste
- bawl out
- berate
- call down
- chastise
- chew out
- dress down
- flay
- hammer
- jaw
- keelhaul
- lambaste
- lambast
- lecture
- rag
- rail (at or against)
- rant (at)
- rate
- ream (out)
- rebuke
- reprimand
- reproach
- scold
- score
- tongue-lash
- upbraid
Example Sentences
Angie Orellana Hernandez, USA TODAY, 5 Aug. 2022 Royal experts tend to castigate Meghan and Prince Harry for not following the rules, speaking out of turn, and widening the family rift. Kathleen Walsh, Glamour, 5 Aug. 2022 Carlson is primed to castigate the mainstream press—how many Fox anchors have made a living doing just that?—but that political dynamic isn’t coded the same way in Brazil. Andre Pagliarini, The New Republic, 1 July 2022 Opponents say Campbell is not progressive enough and castigate her for not pledging to keep super PAC money out of the election. Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 4 July 2022 Since Johnson, though, Republicans have largely been able to castigate Democrats as weak. Bill Donahue, Washington Post, 20 June 2022 Democrats would castigate Republicans for their opposition. New York Times, 25 May 2022 Gaetz reportedly stood up to castigate McCarthy, but most attendees responded to his speech with a standing ovation. Grayson Quay, The Week, 27 Apr. 2022 Putin, in turn, may use the embarassing parade to castigate military leaders, demanding reform. Craig Hooper, Forbes, 2 May 2022 See More Word History
Latin castigatus, past participle of castigare — more at chasten
1606, in the meaning defined above
Kids Definition
castigate
verb
castigate
verb
Synonyms & Similar Words
- scold
- reprimand
- lecture
- criticize
- blame
- berate
- chastise
- upbraid
- admonish
- lambast
- lambaste
- rag
- reproach
- rebuke
- flay
- call down
- dress down
- chide
- bawl out
- attack
- mock
- keelhaul
- baste
- jaw
- rate
- lay into
- fault
- chew out
- hammer
- excoriate
- score
- condemn
- denounce
- ream (out)
- crucify
- rant (at)
- revile
- reprove
- tongue-lash
- disparage
- assail
- take to task
- reprehend
- vituperate
- read the riot act (to)
- belittle
- censure
- lash
- slam
- rail (at or against)
- harangue
- ridicule
- pan
- knock
- diss
- scourge
- bad-mouth
- scoff
- abuse
- scorn
- remonstrate (with)
- blast
- dis
- lace (into)
- put down
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- approve
- endorse
- indorse
- sanction
- extol
- laud
- praise
- extoll
Synonyms & Similar Words
- attack
- scold
- slam
- criticize
- excoriate
- lambast
- lambaste
- insult
- abuse
- assail
- vituperate
- scathe
- savage
- potshot
- berate
- blast
- bash
- tie into
- curse
- belabor
- harass
- trash
- beat up on
- revile
- sail into
- reprimand
- disparage
- light into
- vilify
- chide
- harangue
- blaspheme
- belittle
- chastise
- harry
- affront
- jump (on)
- slander
- execrate
- slur
- imprecate
- traduce
- asperse
- whip
- blackguard
- fulminate
- rebuke
- profane
- libel
- bad-mouth
- put down
- lash (out)
- lace (into)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- commend
- praise
- compliment
- hail
- laud
- acclaim
Synonyms & Similar Words
- punish
- chastise
- criticize
- penalize
- fine
- discipline
- correct
- chasten
- assess
- sentence
- convict
- impose
- condemn
- denounce
- dock
- levy
- mulct
- reprimand
- rebuke
- charge
- reprove
- damn
- wreak
- keelhaul
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- excuse
- spare
- pardon
- forfeit
- release
- absolve
- vindicate
- exonerate
- ransom
- acquit
- exculpate
- commute
- get off
- reprieve
Synonym Chooser
Some common synonyms of castigate are chasten, chastise, correct, discipline, and punish. While all these words mean "to inflict a penalty on in requital for wrongdoing," castigate usually implies a severe, typically public censure.
The words chasten and castigate are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, chasten suggests any affliction or trial that leaves one humbled or subdued.
While in some cases nearly identical to castigate, chastise may apply to either the infliction of corporal punishment or to verbal censure or denunciation.
The meanings of correct and castigate largely overlap; however, correct implies punishing aimed at reforming an offender.
Although the words discipline and castigate have much in common, discipline implies a punishing or chastening in order to bring under control.
The synonyms punish and castigate are sometimes interchangeable, but punish implies subjecting to a penalty for wrongdoing.