chastise
Americanverb (used with object)
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chastises,
present (3rd person singular)
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chastised,
past participle, past
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chastising
present participle
verb
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to discipline or punish, esp by beating
-
to scold severely
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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chastisementnoun
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chastisernoun
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nonchastisementnoun
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self-chastisementnoun
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self-chastiseverb (used with object)
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chastisableadjective
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unchastisableadjective
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unchastisingadjective
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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chastisesimple
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chastisessimple
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have chastisedperfect
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has chastisedperfect
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am chastisingprogressive
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are chastisingprogressive
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is chastisingprogressive
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have been chastisingperfect progressive
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has been chastisingperfect progressive
Past
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chastisedsimple
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had chastisedperfect
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was chastisingprogressive
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were chastisingprogressive
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had been chastisingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of chastise
First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English chastisen, equivalent to chasti(en) “to chasten ” + -s-, of unknown origin + -en infinitive suffix
Explanation
Chastise is a fancy word for telling someone that something they did was really bad. If you pick your nose, your mom will probably yell at you. If you pick your nose in front of the Queen of England, your mom will chastise you. Back in the Middle Ages, chastise used to also come with a beating — that sense of the word has passed, and in fact, people tend to use chastise when they are trying to accuse someone else of overreacting. "You're chastising me for forgetting to feed the cat, but it's not like the cat died!"
Vocabulary lists containing chastise
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
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The Tragedy of Macbeth
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"The Odyssey" by Homer, Books 1–7
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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.
See Examples For:
Pete and Viv chastise Corey about his wayward ways—for example, his failure to show up at their mother’s funeral.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026
Critics of gold use this fact to chastise the proponents of a return to a gold-backed dollar.
From Barron's ● Oct. 22, 2025
Before the denouement came one more opportunity to chastise the Australians, one more chance to be at the centre of a red-hot Ashes tussle.
From BBC ● Oct. 20, 2025
But in their darkest hour, when the most odious contestant seems inevitable, the Cady of the conclave asserts his presence to chastise his fellow cardinals for their pettiness.
From Salon ● Nov. 22, 2024
Badwa wouldn't be there to encourage her when she failed, or chastise her when she overextended herself.
From "Beasts of Prey" by Ayana Gray
Yet, as a “cradle Catholic,” he chastises the newly converted Mr. Vance.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 28, 2026
Judge Xinis' 22-page opinion chastises US officials for claiming that there was little they could do to remedy what they have described as an "administrative error" that led to his deportation.
From BBC ● Apr. 6, 2025
And that can make for a harsh internal voice that belittles and chastises us.
From New York Times ● Apr. 11, 2024
Her nitpicking boss chastises her for not overloading her uniform with incongruent buttons, or “flair,” insisting she needs to “express herself.”
From Salon ● Mar. 1, 2024
Ama chastises, snapping her hand back and forth like Ma sometimes does when she’s agitated.
From "Kwame Crashes the Underworld" by Craig Kofi Farmer
No one likes to be chastised for their choices, especially at a vulnerable moment.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 24, 2026
Monroe chastised Latrobe, asking, “do you know who I am, Sir?”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026
She argued that it’s okay to be single, but then also chastised the audience, “I think we love ourselves a little too much.”
From Salon ● Jun. 12, 2026
The mum-of-two says some have "bullied" her for her post-baby body or commented on her "saggy tummy", while others have chastised her for being "too skinny".
From BBC ● May 13, 2026
I had even had a party the night before I left, and I chastised myself for letting down my guard.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
Once again, the faithfuls were left to rue losing one of their own, with Jerry chastising them as she made her grand exit: "I told you so!"
From BBC ● Oct. 22, 2026
A relentless campaigner, he maintains a near-constant presence on pro-government television channels, embracing locals in tiny rural villages and chastising his critics during lengthy news conferences.
From Barron's ● Sep. 27, 2026
It invoked “The Godfather” in a 51-page presentation chastising Warner for sticking with the Netflix deal, writing, “I’m gonna make him an offer he can’t refuse,” on a page about Paramount’s competing bid.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 3, 2026
Part of the issue is that kindness has, in the community’s time of crisis, been deemed “inappropriate” — the word Principal Marcus uses when chastising Justine for driving a stranded kid home.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 7, 2025
Mrs. Dannenberg at her kitchen table, and my father chastising me for running to France.
From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
