verb
Other Word Forms
- castigation noun
- castigative adjective
- castigator noun
- castigatory adjective
- noncastigating adjective
- self-castigating adjective
- uncastigated adjective
- uncastigative adjective
Etymology
Origin of castigate
First recorded in 1600–10; from Latin castīgātus literally, “driven to be faultless” (past participle of castigāre “to chasten”), equivalent to cast(us) “pure, clean” + -īg-, combining form of agere “to drive, incite” + -ātus past participle suffix; chaste, -ate 1
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
In a famous speech on independence day, in front of Belgian dignitaries including King Baudouin, Lumumba, aged 34, castigated Belgium saying that the Congolese had been held in "humiliating slavery".
From BBC
Starting off in the old third division also meant I was able to make mistakes on certain issues without being castigated by the media.
From BBC
England were widely castigated after the first Test ended inside two days, with former players slamming the so-called "Bazball" tactics which saw a number of batsmen throw their wickets away with rash shots.
From Barron's
It repeats, without shedding new light, on the ways Kissinger has long been celebrated and castigated.
From Salon
“I want to make a difference … They have to castigate, they have to impugn my motives. Because, if I’m right, what does that say about them?”
From Salon
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
