castigate
verb
cas·ti·gate ˈka-stə-ˌgāt 
castigated; castigating
transitive verb
: to subject to severe punishment, reproof, or criticism
The judge castigated the lawyers for their lack of preparation.
castigation
ˌka-stə-ˈgā-shən
noun castigator
ˈka-stə-ˌgā-tər
noun 
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
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
The author castigated the prime minister as an ineffective leader. castigated him for his constant tardiness
Recent Examples on the Web The characters in the movie also take time to castigate others who don't use correct language. 
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
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
Etymology
Latin castigatus, past participle of castigare — more at chasten
First Known Use
1606, in the meaning defined above
Kids Definition
castigate
verb
cas·ti·gate ˈka-stə-ˌgāt
castigated; castigating
: to punish or criticize harshly
castigates
verb
1
as in scolds
to criticize (someone) severely or angrily especially for personal failings castigated him for his constant tardiness Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- scolds
- lectures
- reprimands
- criticizes
- blames
- berates
- chastises
- upbraids
- admonishes
- lambasts
- lambastes
- rebukes
- flays
- reproaches
- rags
- chides
- mocks
- calls down
- bastes
- bawls out
- dresses down
- lays into
- attacks
- jaws
- rates
- scores
- excoriates
- hammers
- faults
- chews out
- denounces
- reproves
- condemns
- reads the riot act (to)
- slams
- assails
- keelhauls
- disparages
- tongue-lashes
- reviles
- crucifies
- belittles
- reams (out)
- takes to task
- ridicules
- rants (at)
- censures
- rails (at or against)
- harangues
- knocks
- scorns
- scoffs
- pans
- blasts
- lashes
- abuses
- reprehends
- bad-mouths
- disses
- scourges
- remonstrates (with)
- vituperates
- laces (into)
- puts down
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- approves
- endorses
- indorses
- extols
- sanctions
- praises
- lauds
- extolls
2
as in attacks
to criticize harshly and usually publicly a newspaper editorial castigating the city council for approving the project in the first place Synonyms & Similar Words
- attacks
- scolds
- slams
- criticizes
- excoriates
- lambasts
- lambastes
- assails
- abuses
- insults
- blasts
- savages
- berates
- bashes
- potshots
- trashes
- belabors
- harasses
- ties into
- curses
- scathes
- sails into
- reviles
- vituperates
- reprimands
- chides
- disparages
- vilifies
- beats up on
- harries
- blasphemes
- lights into
- harangues
- chastises
- belittles
- jumps (on)
- slanders
- affronts
- fulminates
- whips
- rebukes
- profanes
- slurs
- traduces
- libels
- blackguards
- bad-mouths
- execrates
- imprecates
- asperses
- puts down
- laces (into)
- lashes (out)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- commends
- praises
- hails
- lauds
- compliments
- acclaims
3
as in punishes
to inflict a penalty on for a fault or crime a judge who believes in castigating criminals to the full extent of the law Synonyms & Similar Words
- punishes
- criticizes
- chastises
- penalizes
- chastens
- fines
- corrects
- disciplines
- assesses
- sentences
- imposes
- convicts
- condemns
- denounces
- reproves
- levies
- mulcts
- rebukes
- damns
- docks
- reprimands
- wreaks
- charges
- keelhauls
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- spares
- excuses
- pardons
- forfeits
- releases
- absolves
- vindicates
- exonerates
- gets off
- acquits
- exculpates
- commutes
- ransoms
- reprieves