chasten
verb (used with object)
to inflict suffering upon for purposes of moral improvement; chastise.
chastens
-
present tense formof chasten (3rd person singular).present tense
Used to describe things happening now or regularly.
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.
Her humility, even in recollection, chastens him with “the true absurdity of almost all the ambitions which coursed through my younger self when I wanted to be a famous writer.”
From Washington Post ● Nov. 23, 2022
Eventually, however, Lear’s tragic ordeal chastens him and leads him to self-awareness and repentance.
From Washington Post ● Nov. 14, 2022
As the climate crisis chastens and public awareness grows, environmental concerns have finally made their way to the video game industry.
From The Verge ● Dec. 5, 2019
A tender 1960s portrait of the aged social activist Dorothy Day chastens and deepens the smirky irreverence of the Chicago Seven’s yippie posturing.
From New York Times ● Jul. 5, 2012
Its power is not that of the storm that harries and devastates, but rather that of the sunshine that fructifies, purifies, chastens, and ripens.
From The Reconstructed School by Francis B. Pearson
