chastisement

[chas-tiz-muhnt, chas-tahyz-]

noun

1. severe criticism; a rebuke or strong reprimand.

2. corporal punishment; a beating.

Word History and Origins

Origin of chastisement¹

First recorded in 1275–1325; chastise + -ment

Example Sentences

As the elder berates her child for being a “bad bad girl,” the reader will hear the echoes of her own mother’s chastisements, a song of intergenerational despair.

From Los Angeles Times

He argued that unreasonable chastisement, such as beating a child, was already illegal, and voiced concerns the proposal could mean "a mum tapping a tot on the back of the hand" faces criminal prosecution.

From BBC

She also called for an end to an exemption in assault laws that allows for the "reasonable chastisement" of children.

From BBC

She admitted she did slap him on the back in chastisement, adding "it wouldn't have been gentle", but he had not been injured by it.

From BBC

“Here, we see not a god of wrath and chastisement, but the God of mercy, who takes flesh and enters the world in weakness,’’ the pope said.

From Seattle Times

When To Use

What does chastisement mean?

Chastisement is “a strong verbal reprimand” or “severe criticism,” such as the scolding a child may face for coloring on the walls—or the talking-to an employee gets for imbibing too much eggnog at the company holiday party.More commonly in British English, chastisement can also refer to corporal punishment, like a spanking or a beating.Example: The careless driver had hoped the cop would let her go with a stern chastisement, but the officer wrote her a speeding ticket.