as in punitive
inflicting, involving, or serving as punishment a castigating task that succeeds in doing nothing more than making the lives of the inmates miserable
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in scolding
to criticize (someone) severely or angrily especially for personal failings castigated him for his constant tardiness
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in attacking
to criticize harshly and usually publicly a newspaper editorial castigating the city council for approving the project in the first place
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in punishing
to inflict a penalty on for a fault or crime a judge who believes in castigating criminals to the full extent of the law
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of castigating
Shun Graves, Chicago Tribune, 24 Apr. 2026 Rather than confronting Scrooge with things beyond his human comprehension — immutable calm, boundless generosity, pitiless void — all three spirits simply end up castigating him. —Sara Holdren, Vulture, 5 Dec. 2025 At the same time, the barrage of vitriol unleashed by China castigating Takaichi as a warmongering militarist includes a reprehensible threat by the Chinese consul-general in Osaka about beheading Takaichi. —Jeff Kingston, Time, 30 Nov. 2025 The Georgia Republican emerged as a rare voice castigating her party for failing to adequately prepare for the looming expiration of enhanced Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies, which Greene has noted will affect many of her constituents and even her adult children. —Sarah Fortinsky, The Hill, 11 Nov. 2025 In recent days, the hits have come from all sides, with her 2022 challenger, billionaire mall mogul Rick Caruso, castigating Bass in the media for her absence and handling of the fire. —Julia Wick, Los Angeles Times, 13 Jan. 2025 So maybe rather than castigating them, other teams would do well to emulate them. —Dan Freedman, Forbes, 12 Dec. 2024 Nearly a year before the March elections, ads began to appear in Rogers’ district castigating him not simply as a RINO but as a closet liberal who supported gun control and Shariah law. —Ava Kofman, ProPublica, 2 Oct. 2024
Verb
At the previous Zoning Board of Appeals meeting on March 9, Steve Juliusson offered up T-shirts castigating the Winnetka Park District. —Shun Graves, Chicago Tribune, 24 Apr. 2026 Rather than confronting Scrooge with things beyond his human comprehension — immutable calm, boundless generosity, pitiless void — all three spirits simply end up castigating him. —Sara Holdren, Vulture, 5 Dec. 2025 At the same time, the barrage of vitriol unleashed by China castigating Takaichi as a warmongering militarist includes a reprehensible threat by the Chinese consul-general in Osaka about beheading Takaichi. —Jeff Kingston, Time, 30 Nov. 2025 The Georgia Republican emerged as a rare voice castigating her party for failing to adequately prepare for the looming expiration of enhanced Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies, which Greene has noted will affect many of her constituents and even her adult children. —Sarah Fortinsky, The Hill, 11 Nov. 2025 In recent days, the hits have come from all sides, with her 2022 challenger, billionaire mall mogul Rick Caruso, castigating Bass in the media for her absence and handling of the fire. —Julia Wick, Los Angeles Times, 13 Jan. 2025 So maybe rather than castigating them, other teams would do well to emulate them. —Dan Freedman, Forbes, 12 Dec. 2024 Nearly a year before the March elections, ads began to appear in Rogers’ district castigating him not simply as a RINO but as a closet liberal who supported gun control and Shariah law. —Ava Kofman, ProPublica, 2 Oct. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for castigating
Adjective
-
Voters who worry about Talarico’s deployment of faith may not be reassured by Paxton’s rather punitive approach to Christianity.— Elizabeth Bruenig, The Atlantic, 24 Apr. 2026
-
Also in February, the White House unveiled Project Vault, a $12 billion initiative to stockpile critical minerals and insulate American industry from punitive export restrictions.— Charlie Campbell, Time, 21 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
First, as the Florida ACLU’s Howard Simon points out, Uthmeier is not scolding another branch of government.— Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 29 Mar. 2026
-
Security guard Pascal Duvier, most recently infamous for allegedly scolding 11-year-old Ada Law at a hotel in São Paulo, is clearing the air.— Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 26 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
But its small naval boats with crews of two to six people are attacking cargo ships and tankers near the Strait of Hormuz with apparent impunity.— Nic Robertson, CNN Money, 23 Apr. 2026
-
Adon Abel pleaded guilty in October 2024 to assaulting two police officers with a deadly weapon and attacking another person when he was stationed in Coronado, near San Diego, according to California court records.— John Hanna, Los Angeles Times, 23 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Who gets crushed The pain is not distributed equally—and the skew is punishing.— Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 21 Apr. 2026
-
Under former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, Hungarian artists were subject to punishing censorship.— Devorah Lauter, ARTnews.com, 20 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Should the guy who spends his spare time dodging bullets really be lecturing him on death wishes?— Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 17 Apr. 2026
-
The irony here is that after spending decades lecturing China about the merits of free trade, the US is taking a page out of Beijing’s own state capitalist playbook.— Andy Browne, semafor.com, 7 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Video emerged online showing a red Ferrari shooting out of a tunnel along the highway at a high speed, slamming into a concrete barrier where the road curved and erupting into flames.— Alexandra Del Rosario, Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2026
-
Hamadeh, who won his seat in Arizona’s 8th Congressional District in 2024, also spent time in his speech slamming top Democrats with insults.— Arizona Republic, AZCentral.com, 17 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Hart was reprimanding Ross for doing what is the most offensive thing a comedian can do — suck up to the most important person in the room — and enforcing an old ethic in comedy, which is not apologizing for your jokes.— Robert Lynch, Chicago Tribune, 3 Apr. 2026
-
Indeed, Ye didn’t say much of anything during the two-hour concert beyond a number of reprimanding comments directed at his stage crew.— Mikael Wood, Los Angeles Times, 2 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The changing telework fight Last year, unions regularly held large rallies opposing the return-to-office order; an anonymous group of state workers erected billboards along Interstate 80 criticizing the governor.— William Melhado, Sacbee.com, 23 Apr. 2026
-
While the organization hasn’t publicly said so, some have questioned whether the support is partly in retaliation against Cassidy for criticizing Kennedy’s vaccine policy agenda.— Ali Swenson, Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Castigating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.grautoblog.com/thesaurus/castigating. Accessed 26 Apr. 2026.
Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
