2 Samuel 7: 14 (King James Version)
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Buck up, logophiles! There’s no need to fret if you have a hard time sussing out the finer distinctions between chasten, castigate, and chastise, three verbs with overlapping histories and meanings. All three come (via different routes) from the Latin verb castīgāre, meaning "to punish," and all have been used to refer to physical punishment, but today are more likely to refer to a verbal dressing-down than a rap on the knuckles (or worse). However, while one is usually castigated or chastised by another person, one can be chastened—made to feel humility or embarrassment—by a humbling situation or experience. Just don’t let encountering an unfamiliar or subtle word be one of them; that’s what we’re here for.
Synonyms
Examples of chasten in a Sentence
Tom Sanderson, Forbes, 6 Nov. 2024
The 29-year-old can occasionally frustrate with his histrionics and cavalier playing style, but last season’s 4-0 defeat away at Crystal Palace was a chastening reminder of what the team can look like without him.
—Carl Anka, The Athletic, 13 Aug. 2024
In each book, three moments during the Obama administration play outsize roles in chastening this youthful idealism: the decision to bomb Libya in 2011, the decision not to bomb Syria in 2013, and the 2016 election.
—Peter Beinart, Foreign Affairs, 7 Oct. 2019
But instead of another chastening defeat, the Yankees offense burst into action to beat the Dodgers 11-4 on Wednesday, cutting the series deficit to 3-1.
—Ben Church, CNN, 30 Oct. 2024
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Dictionary Entries Near chasten
Cite this Entry
“Chasten.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chasten. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.
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