Castigate
verb
To criticize someone severely.
The teacher castigated the student for not doing his homework.
Often appears as...
- castigate someone for
- publically castigate
Usage tips
Formal, Disapproving
verb
To punish someone in order to correct them.
The army officer castigated his troops for their lack of discipline.
Often appears as...
- castigate for insubordination
- thoroughly castigate
Usage tips
Formal, Disapproving
verb
To criticize someone severely.
The teacher castigated the student for not doing his homework.
Often appears as...
- castigate someone for
- publically castigate
Usage tips
Formal, Disapproving
verb
To punish someone in order to correct them.
The army officer castigated his troops for their lack of discipline.
Often appears as...
- castigate for insubordination
- thoroughly castigate
Usage tips
Formal, Disapproving
Definition 1 of 2
Pro Tip 1/3Severity Level
'Castigate' indicates a very strong level of criticism that is more intense than simply suggesting improvement.
The director castigated the actor for repeatedly forgetting his lines.
Pro Tip 2/3Emotional Weight
Using 'castigate' can carry an emotional impact, suggesting disappointment or disapproval from the speaker.
The community castigated the council for ignoring environmental concerns.
Pro Tip 3/3Public vs Private
'Castigate' often implies that the criticism happens openly, in a public setting, not privately.
The official was publicly castigated for the scandal.
Pro Tip 1/3Severity Level
'Castigate' indicates a very strong level of criticism that is more intense than simply suggesting improvement.
The director castigated the actor for repeatedly forgetting his lines.
Pro Tip 2/3Emotional Weight
Using 'castigate' can carry an emotional impact, suggesting disappointment or disapproval from the speaker.
The community castigated the council for ignoring environmental concerns.
Pro Tip 3/3Public vs Private
'Castigate' often implies that the criticism happens openly, in a public setting, not privately.
The official was publicly castigated for the scandal.
Pro Tip 1/3Severity Level
'Castigate' indicates a very strong level of criticism that is more intense than simply suggesting improvement.
The director castigated the actor for repeatedly forgetting his lines.
Pro Tip 2/3Emotional Weight
Using 'castigate' can carry an emotional impact, suggesting disappointment or disapproval from the speaker.
The community castigated the council for ignoring environmental concerns.
Pro Tip 3/3Public vs Private
'Castigate' often implies that the criticism happens openly, in a public setting, not privately.
The official was publicly castigated for the scandal.
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Video examples
Capitalism will eat...
So what you are seeing now in China is a very similar process to the one that we had in Britain during the Industrial Revolution, especially the transition from the first to the second. And to be castigating China
Video examples
Capitalism will eat...
So what you are seeing now in China is a very similar process to the one that we had in Britain during the Industrial Revolution, especially the transition from the first to the second. And to be castigating China
Example 1 of 1
Quote examples
Gail Collins
American Journalist
Now my poor hometown is being castigated as the center of an IRS scandal. Humble workers at the Cincinnati office targeted Tea Party groups and other conservative organizations for special scrutiny when those groups applied for tax-exempt status. There's no conceivable excuse for that. It was deeply, deeply wrong.
Quote examples
Sarah Lancashire
British Actress
I think going to university, getting married, having children, and then having the choice to stay at home to raise those children is a very valid one for women and they shouldn't be castigated for it. It's a great job. Not many men would do it.
Quote examples
Michelle Dean
American Journalist
Television was not cool among the young people of my era, the last years of the '90s and the early '00s. It was not just old people who'd castigate you for watching anything but public television. We young people scoffed at each other about it.
Quote examples
Nancy Pearcey
American Author
Pro-lifers have long been castigated for bringing private values into the public square. But actually it is the pro-abortion position that is based on merely personal views and values.
Quote examples
Richard Eyre
British Director
Theatre is castigated for wallowing in self-indulgence, but it's curiously unsentimental. You simply have to move on. Everything passes. Something in me likes that.
Quote examples
Jeremy Irons
English Actor
Lolita' was a great wound in the side for me. I stuck my neck out maybe further than I should have and castigated the studio for not getting behind it.
Quote examples
Mitch Daniels
American Politician
No feature of the Obama presidency has been sadder than its constant efforts to divide us, to curry favor with some Americans by castigating others.
Quote examples
Ed Davey
British Politician
Jeremy Corbyn's policy on Brexit has failed to unite his own Labour MPs and has been rightly castigated for lacking any clear course.
Quote examples
James Lasdun
British Writer
The nature of fiction is to make one distrustful of any character who lectures and castigates.
Quote examples
Diana Rigg
British Actress
I've been utterly and completely castigated from time to time.
Quote examples
Gail Collins
American Journalist
Now my poor hometown is being castigated as the center of an IRS scandal. Humble workers at the Cincinnati office targeted Tea Party groups and other conservative organizations for special scrutiny when those groups applied for tax-exempt status. There's no conceivable excuse for that. It was deeply, deeply wrong.
Quote examples
Sarah Lancashire
British Actress
I think going to university, getting married, having children, and then having the choice to stay at home to raise those children is a very valid one for women and they shouldn't be castigated for it. It's a great job. Not many men would do it.
Quote examples
Michelle Dean
American Journalist
Television was not cool among the young people of my era, the last years of the '90s and the early '00s. It was not just old people who'd castigate you for watching anything but public television. We young people scoffed at each other about it.
Quote examples
Nancy Pearcey
American Author
Pro-lifers have long been castigated for bringing private values into the public square. But actually it is the pro-abortion position that is based on merely personal views and values.
Quote examples
Richard Eyre
British Director
Theatre is castigated for wallowing in self-indulgence, but it's curiously unsentimental. You simply have to move on. Everything passes. Something in me likes that.
Quote examples
Jeremy Irons
English Actor
Lolita' was a great wound in the side for me. I stuck my neck out maybe further than I should have and castigated the studio for not getting behind it.
Quote examples
Mitch Daniels
American Politician
No feature of the Obama presidency has been sadder than its constant efforts to divide us, to curry favor with some Americans by castigating others.
Quote examples
Ed Davey
British Politician
Jeremy Corbyn's policy on Brexit has failed to unite his own Labour MPs and has been rightly castigated for lacking any clear course.
Quote examples
James Lasdun
British Writer
The nature of fiction is to make one distrustful of any character who lectures and castigates.
Quote examples
Diana Rigg
British Actress
I've been utterly and completely castigated from time to time.
Example 1 of 10
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