as in punitive
inflicting, involving, or serving as punishment
a chastening hour spent cleaning floors should discourage them from further pranks
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in condemnation
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in punishing
to inflict a penalty on for a fault or crime
chastened the child with five minutes of sitting in the corner
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in humiliating
to reduce to a lower standing in one's own eyes or in others' eyes
the unexpected loss to a second-rate player really chastened the tournament's top-seeded tennis star
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of chastening
Roshane Thomas, The Athletic, 14 Mar. 2025
Market shakeouts are about testing risk tolerances, forcing a rethink of unexamined premises and, at times, chastening the arrogant.
—Michael Santoli, CNBC, 3 Mar. 2025
Elsewhere, despite the success of USMNT players in the league phase, this week was chastening — Milan, Juventus and Celtic’s eliminations knocked out half a dozen of their stars.
—Jacob Whitehead, The Athletic, 20 Feb. 2025
What needs to change if the round of 16 is to bring more than just chastening elimination?
—Sebastian Stafford-Bloor, The Athletic, 18 Feb. 2025
Since a chastening defeat to Coco Gauff in Toronto in 2022, Sabalenka has completely remade her serve, eliminating the sprees of double faults that used to pepper her matches.
—Charlie Eccleshare, The Athletic, 25 Jan. 2025
Jackson’s side needed it in what has been a chastening start to his second season Down Under.
—Beren Cross, The Athletic, 24 Jan. 2025
That was an equally chastening reality for their Qatari owners.
—Phil Hay, The Athletic, 23 Jan. 2025
This defeat on Tyneside was a chastening reminder of the scale of the task facing Pereira — three horrible goals conceded, attacking cohesion severely lacking and the chances Wolves did create squandered.
—Steve Madeley, The Athletic, 16 Jan. 2025
Verb
Two months later, his side suffered a 5-2 defeat to Crystal Palace, followed by a chastening 5-0 loss away to Chelsea in May.
—Roshane Thomas, The Athletic, 14 Mar. 2025
Market shakeouts are about testing risk tolerances, forcing a rethink of unexamined premises and, at times, chastening the arrogant.
—Michael Santoli, CNBC, 3 Mar. 2025
Elsewhere, despite the success of USMNT players in the league phase, this week was chastening — Milan, Juventus and Celtic’s eliminations knocked out half a dozen of their stars.
—Jacob Whitehead, The Athletic, 20 Feb. 2025
What needs to change if the round of 16 is to bring more than just chastening elimination?
—Sebastian Stafford-Bloor, The Athletic, 18 Feb. 2025
Since a chastening defeat to Coco Gauff in Toronto in 2022, Sabalenka has completely remade her serve, eliminating the sprees of double faults that used to pepper her matches.
—Charlie Eccleshare, The Athletic, 25 Jan. 2025
Jackson’s side needed it in what has been a chastening start to his second season Down Under.
—Beren Cross, The Athletic, 24 Jan. 2025
That was an equally chastening reality for their Qatari owners.
—Phil Hay, The Athletic, 23 Jan. 2025
This defeat on Tyneside was a chastening reminder of the scale of the task facing Pereira — three horrible goals conceded, attacking cohesion severely lacking and the chances Wolves did create squandered.
—Steve Madeley, The Athletic, 16 Jan. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for chastening
Adjective
-
With a maximum rookie-scale contract extension slated to kick in for Mobley next season, Cleveland is set to find itself in the NBA's punitive second luxury tax apron.—
Alex Kirschenbaum,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 May 2025
-
Still, if punitive policies towards Chinese international students persist, students may turn to alternative destinations, experts say.—
Miranda Jeyaretnam,
Time,
30 May 2025
Noun
-
There has been widespread international condemnation, particularly from the UN.—
Mostafa Salem,
CNN Money,
3 June 2025
-
Musk and his team have swept through the government in recent months, slashing federal contracts and cutting staff — drawing applause from Trump allies and condemnation from opponents.—
Joe Walsh,
CBS News,
30 May 2025
Verb
-
In an interview with The Athletic last month, Diggins described the feeling of finishing one of the most punishing endurance tests in all of sports.—
Zack Pierce,
The Athletic,
5 Jan. 2025
-
But punishing that behavior means bringing the hammer down on Vietnam, hardly a step that would win Washington strategic support in Hanoi, where a new leadership dominated by public security and military officials actually sees eye to eye with China in some areas.—
Evan A. Feigenbaum,
Forbes,
5 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
Poor data quality can provide wrong models and alerts, discrediting predictive monitoring.—
Hrushikesh Deshmukh,
Forbes,
24 Feb. 2025
-
Johnson released new guidelines for reporting gifts Wednesday after discrediting the investigation.—
Jake Sheridan,
Chicago Tribune,
14 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
In that assessment, the ODNI highlighted smuggling and drug cartels – and the fentanyl crisis in particular – as perhaps the top threat to U.S. security.—
Josh Meyer,
USA Today,
5 June 2025
-
Take back control of your brain with a proper assessment and plan.—
Jodie Cook,
Forbes.com,
5 June 2025
Noun
-
Days after Missouri lawmakers voted to repeal their capital gains tax, Governor Greg Abbott (R-Texas) approved a constitutional amendment that would prohibit the imposition of a capital gains tax in the Lone Star State.—
Patrick Gleason,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2025
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Davis also called for the USTR to delay imposition of the 100-percent tariff for one or two years, saying that ports’ decisions on equipment and infrastructure investments are made years in advance.—
Glenn Taylor,
Sourcing Journal,
20 May 2025
Noun
-
These legal salvos could cost the company billions in fines and force major changes to its business.—
Ryan Whitwam,
ArsTechnica,
2 June 2025
-
Crain’s reported that, earlier this year, Chetrit and his brothers owed the city nearly half a million in fines on the property, which had 56 active violations, and that it was believed to be the first foreclosure ever for Joseph Chetrit.—
Kim Velsey,
Curbed,
2 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Chastening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/chastening. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.
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