castigation
Americannoun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of castigation
First recorded in 1350–1400, for an earlier sense; from Latin castīgātiōn-, stem of castīgātiō “chastisement, a chastening,” from castigāre “to chasten”; see castigate ( def. ), -ion ( def. )
Explanation
If your coach yells at your team for sloppy play, her post-game speech might be called a castigation. A castigation is a harsh verbal reprimand. No one likes to be on the receiving end of castigation. The word comes from the Latin castigus which means "to make pure." Try to remember during castigation that the castigator is, in their own misguided way, trying to make you a better person. But that may be hard to think of when someone is bawling you out.
Vocabulary lists containing castigation
Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions
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"The Portrait" by Nikolai Gogol
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Sweet Bird of Youth
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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.
Like the calm, godly Eye, he registers the good and bad of human nature with moral clarity but without castigation.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 2, 2026
The frequent castigation of Versailles in popular histories over the past century has established a narrative implying that seeking justice for international crimes will boomerang, and that wise statesmen should know better.
From Salon ● Aug. 19, 2023
As she held tight to the word, stretching it like a castigation, she grabbed a photo of Pope John Paul II and held it up to camera.
From New York Times ● Jul. 26, 2023
He said, especially given the Astros’ behavior during a 2017 season in which they defeated the Dodgers in the World Series, Kelly’s castigation didn’t feel just.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 30, 2020
The uniform and indispensable condition of all miraculous cures, whether produced by prayer, imposition of hands, penitential castigation, or magic power, is faith.
From Modern Magic by Maximilian Schele de Vere
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
