discipline

1 of 2

noun

dis·ci·pline ˈdi-sə-plən How to pronounce discipline (audio)

: control gained by enforcing obedience or order

: orderly or prescribed conduct or pattern of behavior

: self-control

: punishment

: training that corrects, molds, or perfects the mental faculties or moral character

: a field of study

: a rule or system of rules governing conduct or activity

obsolete : instruction

disciplinal

ˈdi-sə-plə-nᵊl How to pronounce discipline (audio)

adjective

discipline

2 of 2

verb

disciplined; disciplining

transitive verb

: to punish or penalize for the sake of enforcing obedience and perfecting moral character

: to train or develop by instruction and exercise especially in self-control

: to bring (a group) under control

discipline troops

: to impose order upon

serious writers discipline and refine their writing styles

discipliner noun

Did you know?

The Root and Meanings of Discipline

Discipline comes from discipulus, the Latin word for pupil, which also provided the source of the word disciple (albeit by way of a Late Latin sense-shift to “a follower of Jesus Christ in his lifetime”). Given that several meanings of discipline deal with study, governing one’s behavior, and instruction, one might assume that the word’s first meaning in English had to do with education. In fact, the earliest known use of discipline appears to be punishment-related; it first was used in the 13th century to refer to chastisement of a religious nature, such as self-flagellation.

Example Sentences

Noun Sir Robert Peel is credited with creating the first modern police force, the bobbies, in London, in 1829, but the transformation of law enforcement, and especially forensic science, into a professional discipline was a haphazard affair.

Jeffrey Toobin, New Yorker, 7 May 2007 Pragmatism became America's most important contribution to the life of the mind in the 20th century. Filtered through scores of later interpreters, it percolated across a broad segment of academic culture and influenced disciplines as diverse as literary criticism and legal theory.

Theo Anderson, Wilson Quarterly, Summer 2007 So the next fall I went to Hampshire College and began studying under Herbert Bernstein. Without him, I would never have become a scientist. He shamed me into doing the hard work necessary to be able not just to talk about math and physics but to calculate. Without that discipline, my story would have been very different …

Lee Smolin, Curious Minds, (2004) 2005 He stood erect, his bearing patrician, his dress impeccable. His face was stern and his pale eyes unsmiling behind his trifocals, like a man who had been called from important duties in the principal's office to administer discipline to an unruly classroom.

Nick Taylor, Laser, 2000 The teacher has a hard time maintaining discipline in the classroom. The troops were praised for their dedication and discipline. Some parents feel that the school's principal has been too harsh in meting out discipline. Keeping a journal is a good discipline for a writer. Verb The Army disciplined seven men for the incident, penalties ranging from pay-cuts and loss of rank to dismissal from the Rangers and return to the rank-and-file Army.

Gary Smith, Sports Illustrated, 11 Sept. 2006 Volunteers have to undergo a program to discipline the mind and cleanse the soul.

Aparism Ghosh, Time, 4 July 2005 The teacher then took me to the principal's office. There, the principal attempted to discipline me with an old Catholic school technique called "paddling" …

Lalo Gomez, Undoing Time, 2001 She was disciplined for misbehaving in class. He seems unwilling or unable to discipline his children. I'm trying to discipline myself to eat less. See More

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Sarver acknowledged the discipline in a separate statement.

Ryan Gaydos, Fox News, 16 Sep. 2022 Milch is very much grounded in the discipline of language and storytelling.

Chris Vognar, USA TODAY, 14 Sep. 2022 But besides the administrative discipline, no prosecution occurred to address the misconduct.

San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Sep. 2022 Errin, the message discipline there on not just calling them Republicans but calling the MAGA Republicans.

NBC News, 26 Aug. 2022 Ryan’s relative lack of experience in the discipline will not hold the Colts back.

The Indianapolis Star, 24 Aug. 2022 After several high-profile deaths at international ultra-distance races, does the small but fast-growing discipline of mountain ultrarunning have a safety problem?

Brian Metzler, Outside Online, 24 Aug. 2022 Some of my heartiest off camera laughs were between she and I, hammering out the the discipline her Mrs. Teasley would dish out to my Steve Sanders.

Gina Martinez, CBS News, 14 Aug. 2022 Right now neither party is showing the discipline to execute a swing-voter strategy and both are playing mostly to their bases.

Mark Penn, WSJ, 11 Aug. 2022

Verb

Assembly Bill 2098 by Assemblymember Evan Low (D-Campbell) would strengthen the Medical Board of California’s ability to discipline doctors who promote COVID-19 misinformation by classifying it as unprofessional conduct.

Melody Gutierrez, Los Angeles Times, 5 Aug. 2022 Parents face plenty of criticism and dogma—about everything from their children’s sleeping and eating habits to discipline and family time.

Tracy Brower, Forbes, 10 July 2022 Hoffmeyer claims in the suit that Mount Pleasant Public Schools, about 90 miles outside of Grand Rapids, failed to properly train, monitor and discipline its employees.

Washington Post, 20 Sep. 2021 Image Hong Kong’s communications authority last year ordered the broadcaster to discipline employees on a political satire program after ruling that a skit had insulted the police force.

New York Times, 19 Feb. 2021 DeSantis is by no means alone in this quest to discipline the private sector.

CNN, 25 Aug. 2022 The bar, the largest in the country, licenses California’s 260,000 attorneys and is supposed to investigate and discipline lawyers who cheat clients or engage in other types of misconduct.

Harriet Ryan, Los Angeles Times, 24 Aug. 2022 Goodell’s decision, however, was upheld in 2016 by a federal appeals court panel that affirmed his broad authority to discipline players.

New York Times, 3 Aug. 2022 Goldy’s reported misconduct shows the Prosecutors Advisory Council needs to be given the authority to discipline prosecutors.

Andrew Wolfson, The Courier-Journal, 14 July 2022 See More

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, "chastisement, system of ordered conduct, instruction, branch of learning," borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French, borrowed from Latin disciplīna "teaching, instruction, branch of study, orderly conduct based on moral training" (Medieval Latin, "chastisement, scourging"), from discipulus "pupil, learner" + -īna, suffix denoting a place or practice (from noun derivative of feminine of -īnus -ine entry 1) — more at disciple

Verb

Middle English disciplinen "to subject to chastisement, educate," borrowed from Anglo-French & Late Latin; Anglo-French discipliner, borrowed from Late Latin disciplīnāre "to teach" (Medieval Latin, "to punish, scourge"), derivative of Latin disciplīna "teaching, discipline entry 1"

First Known Use

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

discipline 1 of 2

noun

dis·ci·pline ˈdi-sə-plən How to pronounce discipline (audio)

: punishment sense 1

: strict training that corrects or strengthens

"Boys need discipline," he said.

: habits and ways of acting that are gotten through practice

At this point in the act the penguins always forgot their discipline …

Richard {amp} Florence Atwater, Mr. Popper's Penguins

: control that is gained by insisting that rules be followed

The teacher tried to maintain discipline.

discipline

2 of 2

verb

disciplined; disciplining

: to punish as a way to bring about good behavior

The principal disciplined the troublemakers.

: to train in self-control or obedience

The diet disciplines overeaters.

: to bring under control

discipline troops

discipline 1 of 2

noun

as in department

a region of activity, knowledge, or influence you must choose a discipline to focus on in college

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

department
field
area
element
realm
domain
walk
sphere
kingdom
specialty
province
business
terrain
territory
subject
circle
bailiwick
study
arena
game
front
confine
profession
precinct
line
pursuit
firmament
fiefdom
scope
frontier
demesne
fief
vocation
barony
occupation
subfield
extent
breadth
turf
subspecialty
sweep
reach
amplitude
racket
width
compass
ambit
dimension(s)
ken

as in punishment

suffering, loss, or hardship imposed in response to a crime or offense harsh discipline was imposed to keep order within the ranks

Synonyms & Similar Words

punishment
penalty
wrath
correction
castigation
chastisement
sentence
reprimand
retribution
comeuppance
desert(s)
condemnation
fine
assessment
retaliation
nemesis
criticism
revenge
vengeance
reprisal
example
confinement
censure
rebuke
charge
imprisonment
incarceration
reproof
mulct
denouncement
damnation

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

vindication
indemnity
parole
immunity
exemption
amnesty
pardon
exoneration
exculpation
impunity
acquittal
forgiveness
disregard
release
commutation
remission
condonation
absolution
reprieve
remitment
overlooking

as in restraint

the checking of one's true feelings and impulses when dealing with others she lacks the discipline that's essential for a job in customer relations

Synonyms & Similar Words

restraint
repression
inhibition
suppression
composure
constraint
discretion
self-control
refrainment
self-restraint
continence
reserve
self-command
mastery
willpower
self-discipline
possession
control
will
self-mastery
silence
command
modesty
distance
reticence
detachedness
aloofness
self-denial
self-censorship
bashfulness
self-containment
taciturnity
shyness
self-poise
self-possession
self-government

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

unconstraint
indulgence
disinhibition
incontinence
gratification
uninhibitedness
frankness
candor
overindulgence
bluntness
unrestrainedness
intemperance
self-abandonment
self-indulgence
immoderacy

discipline

2 of 2

verb

as in to punish

to inflict a penalty on for a fault or crime the pranksters were severely disciplined for their irresponsible stunt

Synonyms & Similar Words

punish
fine
penalize
correct
chastise
criticize
sentence
chasten
convict
impose
assess
reprimand
levy
castigate
charge
rebuke
dock
condemn
mulct
denounce
reprove
damn
wreak
keelhaul

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

excuse
spare
forfeit
pardon
release
vindicate
ransom
commute
exonerate
get off
exculpate
absolve
acquit
reprieve

Synonym Chooser

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

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

an editorial castigating the entire city council

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

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

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

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

punished for stealing

单词	discipline
释义	discipline 1 of 2 noun dis·ci·pline ˈdi-sə-plən 1 a : control gained by enforcing obedience or order b : orderly or prescribed conduct or pattern of behavior c : self-control 2 : punishment 3 : training that corrects, molds, or perfects the mental faculties or moral character 4 : a field of study 5 : a rule or system of rules governing conduct or activity 6 obsolete : instruction disciplinal ˈdi-sə-plə-nᵊl adjective discipline 2 of 2 verb disciplined; disciplining transitive verb 1 : to punish or penalize for the sake of enforcing obedience and perfecting moral character 2 : to train or develop by instruction and exercise especially in self-control 3 a : to bring (a group) under control discipline troops b : to impose order upon serious writers discipline and refine their writing styles discipliner noun Did you know? The Root and Meanings of Discipline Discipline comes from discipulus, the Latin word for pupil, which also provided the source of the word disciple (albeit by way of a Late Latin sense-shift to “a follower of Jesus Christ in his lifetime”). Given that several meanings of discipline deal with study, governing one’s behavior, and instruction, one might assume that the word’s first meaning in English had to do with education. In fact, the earliest known use of discipline appears to be punishment-related; it first was used in the 13th century to refer to chastisement of a religious nature, such as self-flagellation. Synonyms Noun area arena bailiwick barony business circle demesne department domain element fief fiefdom field firmament front game kingdom line precinct province realm specialty sphere terrain walk Verb castigate chasten chastise correct penalize punish See all Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences Noun Sir Robert Peel is credited with creating the first modern police force, the bobbies, in London, in 1829, but the transformation of law enforcement, and especially forensic science, into a professional discipline was a haphazard affair. Jeffrey Toobin, New Yorker, 7 May 2007 Pragmatism became America's most important contribution to the life of the mind in the 20th century. Filtered through scores of later interpreters, it percolated across a broad segment of academic culture and influenced disciplines as diverse as literary criticism and legal theory. Theo Anderson, Wilson Quarterly, Summer 2007 So the next fall I went to Hampshire College and began studying under Herbert Bernstein. Without him, I would never have become a scientist. He shamed me into doing the hard work necessary to be able not just to talk about math and physics but to calculate. Without that discipline, my story would have been very different … Lee Smolin, Curious Minds, (2004) 2005 He stood erect, his bearing patrician, his dress impeccable. His face was stern and his pale eyes unsmiling behind his trifocals, like a man who had been called from important duties in the principal's office to administer discipline to an unruly classroom. Nick Taylor, Laser, 2000 The teacher has a hard time maintaining discipline in the classroom. The troops were praised for their dedication and discipline. Some parents feel that the school's principal has been too harsh in meting out discipline. Keeping a journal is a good discipline for a writer. Verb The Army disciplined seven men for the incident, penalties ranging from pay-cuts and loss of rank to dismissal from the Rangers and return to the rank-and-file Army. Gary Smith, Sports Illustrated, 11 Sept. 2006 Volunteers have to undergo a program to discipline the mind and cleanse the soul. Aparism Ghosh, Time, 4 July 2005 The teacher then took me to the principal's office. There, the principal attempted to discipline me with an old Catholic school technique called "paddling" … Lalo Gomez, Undoing Time, 2001 She was disciplined for misbehaving in class. He seems unwilling or unable to discipline his children. I'm trying to discipline myself to eat less. See More Recent Examples on the Web Noun Sarver acknowledged the discipline in a separate statement. Ryan Gaydos, Fox News, 16 Sep. 2022 Milch is very much grounded in the discipline of language and storytelling. Chris Vognar, USA TODAY, 14 Sep. 2022 But besides the administrative discipline, no prosecution occurred to address the misconduct. San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Sep. 2022 Errin, the message discipline there on not just calling them Republicans but calling the MAGA Republicans. NBC News, 26 Aug. 2022 Ryan’s relative lack of experience in the discipline will not hold the Colts back. The Indianapolis Star, 24 Aug. 2022 After several high-profile deaths at international ultra-distance races, does the small but fast-growing discipline of mountain ultrarunning have a safety problem? Brian Metzler, Outside Online, 24 Aug. 2022 Some of my heartiest off camera laughs were between she and I, hammering out the the discipline her Mrs. Teasley would dish out to my Steve Sanders. Gina Martinez, CBS News, 14 Aug. 2022 Right now neither party is showing the discipline to execute a swing-voter strategy and both are playing mostly to their bases. Mark Penn, WSJ, 11 Aug. 2022 Verb Assembly Bill 2098 by Assemblymember Evan Low (D-Campbell) would strengthen the Medical Board of California’s ability to discipline doctors who promote COVID-19 misinformation by classifying it as unprofessional conduct. Melody Gutierrez, Los Angeles Times, 5 Aug. 2022 Parents face plenty of criticism and dogma—about everything from their children’s sleeping and eating habits to discipline and family time. Tracy Brower, Forbes, 10 July 2022 Hoffmeyer claims in the suit that Mount Pleasant Public Schools, about 90 miles outside of Grand Rapids, failed to properly train, monitor and discipline its employees. Washington Post, 20 Sep. 2021 Image Hong Kong’s communications authority last year ordered the broadcaster to discipline employees on a political satire program after ruling that a skit had insulted the police force. New York Times, 19 Feb. 2021 DeSantis is by no means alone in this quest to discipline the private sector. CNN, 25 Aug. 2022 The bar, the largest in the country, licenses California’s 260,000 attorneys and is supposed to investigate and discipline lawyers who cheat clients or engage in other types of misconduct. Harriet Ryan, Los Angeles Times, 24 Aug. 2022 Goodell’s decision, however, was upheld in 2016 by a federal appeals court panel that affirmed his broad authority to discipline players. New York Times, 3 Aug. 2022 Goldy’s reported misconduct shows the Prosecutors Advisory Council needs to be given the authority to discipline prosecutors. Andrew Wolfson, The Courier-Journal, 14 July 2022 See More Word History Etymology Noun Middle English, "chastisement, system of ordered conduct, instruction, branch of learning," borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French, borrowed from Latin disciplīna "teaching, instruction, branch of study, orderly conduct based on moral training" (Medieval Latin, "chastisement, scourging"), from discipulus "pupil, learner" + -īna, suffix denoting a place or practice (from noun derivative of feminine of -īnus -ine entry 1) — more at disciple Verb Middle English disciplinen "to subject to chastisement, educate," borrowed from Anglo-French & Late Latin; Anglo-French discipliner, borrowed from Late Latin disciplīnāre "to teach" (Medieval Latin, "to punish, scourge"), derivative of Latin disciplīna "teaching, discipline entry 1" First Known Use Noun 13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2 Verb 14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1 Phrases Containing discipline self-discipline sub-discipline self-discipline sub-discipline Kids Definition discipline 1 of 2 noun dis·ci·pline ˈdi-sə-plən 1 : punishment sense 1 2 : strict training that corrects or strengthens "Boys need discipline," he said. 3 : habits and ways of acting that are gotten through practice At this point in the act the penguins always forgot their discipline … Richard {amp} Florence Atwater, Mr. Popper's Penguins 4 : control that is gained by insisting that rules be followed The teacher tried to maintain discipline. discipline 2 of 2 verb disciplined; disciplining 1 : to punish as a way to bring about good behavior The principal disciplined the troublemakers. 2 : to train in self-control or obedience The diet disciplines overeaters. 3 : to bring under control discipline troops discipline 1 of 2 noun 1 as in department a region of activity, knowledge, or influence you must choose a discipline to focus on in college Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance department field area element realm domain walk sphere kingdom specialty province business terrain territory subject circle bailiwick study arena game front confine profession precinct line pursuit firmament fiefdom scope frontier demesne fief vocation barony occupation subfield extent breadth turf subspecialty sweep reach amplitude racket width compass ambit dimension(s) ken 2 as in punishment suffering, loss, or hardship imposed in response to a crime or offense harsh discipline was imposed to keep order within the ranks Synonyms & Similar Words punishment penalty wrath correction castigation chastisement sentence reprimand retribution comeuppance desert(s) condemnation fine assessment retaliation nemesis criticism revenge vengeance reprisal example confinement censure rebuke charge imprisonment incarceration reproof mulct denouncement damnation Antonyms & Near Antonyms vindication indemnity parole immunity exemption amnesty pardon exoneration exculpation impunity acquittal forgiveness disregard release commutation remission condonation absolution reprieve remitment overlooking See More 3 as in restraint the checking of one's true feelings and impulses when dealing with others she lacks the discipline that's essential for a job in customer relations Synonyms & Similar Words restraint repression inhibition suppression composure constraint discretion self-control refrainment self-restraint continence reserve self-command mastery willpower self-discipline possession control will self-mastery silence command modesty distance reticence detachedness aloofness self-denial self-censorship bashfulness self-containment taciturnity shyness self-poise self-possession self-government Antonyms & Near Antonyms unconstraint indulgence disinhibition incontinence gratification uninhibitedness frankness candor overindulgence bluntness unrestrainedness intemperance self-abandonment self-indulgence immoderacy See More discipline 2 of 2 verb as in to punish to inflict a penalty on for a fault or crime the pranksters were severely disciplined for their irresponsible stunt Synonyms & Similar Words punish fine penalize correct chastise criticize sentence chasten convict impose assess reprimand levy castigate charge rebuke dock condemn mulct denounce reprove damn wreak keelhaul Antonyms & Near Antonyms excuse spare forfeit pardon release vindicate ransom commute exonerate get off exculpate absolve acquit reprieve See More Synonym Chooser 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 The meanings of castigate and discipline largely overlap; however, castigate usually implies a severe, typically public censure. an editorial castigating the entire city council 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 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 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 The words punish and discipline can be used in similar contexts, but punish implies subjecting to a penalty for wrongdoing. punished for stealing
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discipline

noun

verb

Did you know?

Synonyms

Example Sentences

Word History

Phrases Containing discipline

Kids Definition

noun

verb

noun

verb

Synonym Chooser