“Chastise” is a verb that means to reprimand or punish someone severely, often for wrongdoing or misbehavior. It implies a strong expression of disapproval, often accompanied by a sense of moral judgment. For example, a teacher might chastise a student for cheating on an exam.
“Chastise” is often used to describe a more formal or serious reprimand, suggesting a sense of authority or moral superiority. It can also be used to describe a physical punishment, though this is less common in modern usage.
Here are 10 sentences using the word “chastise”:
- The coach chastised the team for their lack of effort during the game.
- The parents chastised their child for lying to them about where they had been.
- The teacher chastised the student for talking during the test.
- The judge chastised the defendant for their callous disregard for the law.
- The priest chastised the congregation for their lack of faith.
- The author chastised the critics for their unfair reviews of her book.
- The general chastised the troops for their failure to follow orders.
- The newspaper columnist chastised the politician for their corrupt behavior.
- The elders chastised the young people for their disrespect for tradition.
- The poet chastised the world for its indifference to suffering.
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Synonyms:
- scold
- upbraid
- berate
- reprimand
- reprove
- rebuke
- admonish
- chide
- censure
- castigate
- lambaste
- lecture
- criticize
- pull up
- take to task
- haul over the coals
- bring to book
- trim
- rate
- give someone a rating
- tell off
- give someone a telling-off
- dress down
- give someone a dressing-down
- bawl out
- blow up at
- give someone an earful
- give someone a caning
- give someone a roasting
- give someone a rocket
- give someone a rollicking
- come down on someone like a ton of bricks
- have someone’s guts for garters
- slap someone’s wrist
- rap over the knuckles
- give someone a piece of one’s mind
- throw the book at
- read someone the Riot Act
- let someone have it
- give someone hell
- carpet
- monster
- tear someone off a strip
- tick off
- have a go at
- give someone a mouthful
- give someone what for
- give someone some stick
- give someone a wigging
- chew out
- ream out
- chasten
- recompense
- visit
- reprehend
- objurgate
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A Lexicon of Reproof: Words for Scolding and Criticizing
Here’s an article exploring various words and phrases used to describe the act of scolding or criticizing:
Scold, Upbraid, Berate, and Reprimand:
- Scold: To criticize someone angrily.
- Upbraid: To criticize someone severely or angrily.
- Berate: To scold someone angrily and at length.
- Reprimand: To criticize someone formally.
Reprove, Rebuke, Admonish, and Chide:
- Reprove: To criticize someone gently or mildly.
- Rebuke: To criticize someone sharply.
- Admonish: To warn someone formally.
- Chide: To scold someone gently.
Censure, Castigate, Lambaste, and Lecture:
- Censure: To express strong disapproval of someone or something.
- Castigate: To punish someone severely.
- Lambaste: To criticize someone harshly.
- Lecture: To give someone a long, serious talk, often criticizing them.
More Informal Expressions:
- Criticize: To find fault with someone or something.
- Pull up: To criticize someone, especially a child.
- Take to task: To criticize someone severely.
- Haul over the coals: To criticize someone severely.
- Bring to book: To criticize someone severely.
Stronger, More Informal Expressions:
- Trim: To scold someone severely.
- Rate: To scold someone severely.
- Give someone a rating: To scold someone severely.
- Tell off: To scold someone angrily.
- Give someone a telling-off: To scold someone angrily.
- Dress down: To scold someone severely.
- Give someone a dressing-down: To scold someone severely.
- Bawl out: To scold someone loudly and angrily.
- Blow up at: To suddenly become very angry with someone.
- Give someone an earful: To scold someone angrily and at length.
- Give someone a caning: To scold someone severely.
- Give someone a roasting: To scold someone severely.
- Give someone a rocket: To scold someone severely.
- Give someone a rollicking: To scold someone severely.
- Come down on someone like a ton of bricks: To criticize someone very severely.
- Have someone’s guts for garters: To be very angry with someone.
Less Severe Expressions:
- Slap someone’s wrist: To criticize someone mildly.
- Rap over the knuckles: To criticize someone mildly.
Very Strong Expressions:
- Give someone a piece of one’s mind: To scold someone angrily and at length.
- Throw the book at: To punish someone severely.
- Read someone the Riot Act: To scold someone severely.
- Let someone have it: To scold someone severely.
- Give someone hell: To scold someone severely.
- Carpet: To scold someone severely.
- Monster: To scold someone severely.
- Tear someone off a strip: To scold someone severely.
- Tick off: To annoy someone.
- Have a go at: To criticize someone angrily.
- Give someone a mouthful: To scold someone angrily.
- Give someone what for: To scold someone severely.
- Give someone some stick: To criticize someone.
- Give someone a wigging: To scold someone severely.
- Chew out: To scold someone severely.
- Ream out: To scold someone severely.
Less Common, More Formal Words:
- Chasten: To punish someone in order to correct them.
- Recompense: To punish someone for a wrong.
- Visit: To punish someone.
- Reprehend: To criticize someone severely.
- Objurgate: To scold someone severely.
These words and phrases offer a rich vocabulary for expressing various degrees of criticism and disapproval, from mild reprimands to severe scoldings.
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The Scathing Sermon
The old man, a relic of a bygone era, stood at the pulpit, his voice a thunderous roar. His congregation, a motley crew of sinners and saints, trembled under his lambaste. He berated them for their worldly desires, their gluttony, and their sloth.
A young woman, caught in the crossfire, was singled out for her vanity. “Look at yourself!” he rebuked. “Your hair, a tangled mess! Your clothes, a disgrace! You are a blight on this holy place.”
The woman, mortified, hung her head. She had never been so reprimanded. The old man’s words were a scourge upon her soul.
“You think you’re so beautiful, so special,” he lectured. “But you are nothing! A mere speck of dust in the grand scheme of things.”
He hauled her over the coals, gave her a piece of his mind, and read her the Riot Act. He chewed her out, reamed her out, and tore her off a strip. He gave her a caning, a roasting, and a rocket.
The congregation watched in horror as the woman was brought to book. She was scolded, upbraided, and admonished. She was criticized, pulled up, and taken to task. She was rated and given a telling-off.
Finally, the old man ceased his tirade. The woman, battered and bruised, slunk out of the church. She had been chastised and recompensed for her sins.
The old man, satisfied, turned to the rest of the congregation. “Let this be a lesson to you all,” he admonished. “Do not stray from the path of righteousness, or you will face the wrath of the Lord.”
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The Unforgiving Father
The old man sat at his desk, his face etched with lines of anger and disappointment. His son, a young, rebellious soul, stood before him, head bowed in shame. The silence in the room was heavy, broken only by the soft ticking of the grandfather clock.
“You have disgraced this family name,” the old man began, his voice a low growl. “You have brought shame upon us all.”
The young man flinched, his heart pounding in his chest. He knew what was coming next.
“You will be punished for your reckless behavior,” the old man continued, his voice rising. “You will be taught a lesson you will never forget.”
The young man closed his eyes, bracing himself for the storm. He knew his father was a man of strong convictions, and he would not hesitate to punish him for his mistakes.
The old man stood up and began to pace the room. “You have disobeyed me, defied me, and humiliated me,” he said, his voice growing louder. “You have betrayed my trust.”
The young man opened his eyes and looked at his father. He could see the pain and anger in his father’s eyes. He knew that his father loved him, but he also knew that he was deeply disappointed in him.
“I’m sorry, Father,” the young man said, his voice barely a whisper. “I know I’ve made a mistake.”
The old man stopped pacing and turned to face his son. “You are a disappointment, young man,” he said. “A disgrace to our family.”
The young man hung his head in shame. He knew that his father was right. He had made a terrible mistake, and he would have to live with the consequences.
The old man continued to berate his son, lambasting him for his actions. He rebuked him, reprimanded him, and admonished him. He lectured him, criticized him, and hauled him over the coals. He gave him a piece of his mind, read him the Riot Act, and let him have it.
The young man stood there, taking it all in. He knew that he deserved to be punished. He had made a terrible mistake, and he would have to pay the price.
Finally, the old man stopped. He looked at his son, his eyes filled with sadness. “I hope you have learned your lesson,” he said. “I hope you will never make the same mistake again.”
The young man nodded, his voice barely audible. “I will never do it again, Father,” he said.
The old man turned and walked away. The young man was left alone, his heart heavy with guilt and shame. He knew that he had to change his ways. He had to become a better person.