chasten

American  

[chey-suhn] / ˈtʃeɪ sən /

verb (used with object)

1. to inflict suffering upon for purposes of moral improvement; chastise.

   Synonyms:

   punish, discipline

   Antonyms:

   indulge

2. to restrain; subdue.

   Age has chastened his violent temper.

   Synonyms:

   humble

3. to make chaste in style.

   Synonyms:

   simplify, purify

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chasten British  

/ ˈtʃeɪsən /

verb

1. to bring to a state of submission; subdue; tame

2. to discipline or correct by punishment

3. to moderate; restrain; temper

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Usage

What does chasten mean? To chasten is to discipline, punish, or severely criticize, especially with the intention of improving someone’s behavior. Chasten has many shades of meaning that are all somewhat similar. It can mean to tame or subdue, or to moderate or restrain someone’s behavior. In all cases, it typically involves some form of discipline or negative consequences for the person being chastened. Chasten is a relatively formal word, and so are its close synonyms (like chastise, castigate, and reprimand), but it’s probably used less commonly than they are. It’s often associated with Christian or other religious language due to its use in some translations of the Bible. Example: My grandfather grew up in a boarding school, where he was chastened for even the most minor infractions.

Other Word Forms

• chastener noun
• chasteningly adverb
• chastenment noun
• unchastened adjective

Etymology

Origin of chasten

1520–30; chaste + -en ¹; replacing chaste (v.), Middle English chastien < Old French chastier < Latin castigāre; see castigate

Explanation

To chasten someone is to correct him or her, often with the use of some pretty steep punishment. Chasten can also mean "to restrain." Either of these actions may be necessary when someone isn't behaving like they're supposed to. The verb chasten is often used with the verb "to be" as in "be chastened." If students are caught writing graffiti on the bathroom wall, you can expect them to be chastened by both the school and their parents. Chasten is related to the word chastise, meaning "to punish severely." Both words can be traced back to the Latin root castus, meaning "morally pure." So keep yourself on the straight and narrow when it comes to morality and you can avoid being chastened.

Example Sentences

With the board that tried to chasten him swapped out, Altman has a lot of leeway to make occasional principled stands while making zillions of dollars, or not.

From Slate • Nov. 27, 2023

People are reminded during a crisis like this that a local newspaper is a central thread that stitches neighbors together with birthday photos that make grandma happy and crime reports that chasten the scofflaw.

From The Guardian • Apr. 6, 2020

Do constant pressures to resign, to chasten the president, to speak up in criticism constitute mental reservations?

From Washington Post • Sep. 6, 2018

Image: ABC There are moments in season 2 where Cooper bounces back into form, but they’re outnumbered by events that exhaust and chasten him, visibly transforming him into a more solemn, internal man.

From The Verge • May 31, 2017

In school Kantorek used to chasten Mittelstaedt with exactly the same expression—“Inadequate, Mittelstaedt, quite inadequate.”

From "All Quiet on the Western Front: A Novel" by Erich Maria Remarque

Related Words

• penalize