1
Core action
Reprimand or criticize someone severely for wrongdoing or failure.
Example
The report castigated officials for ignoring repeated warnings.
castigate
/ˈkæstɪɡeɪt/ · KAS-tih-gaytverb
Reprimand or criticize someone severely for wrongdoing or failure.
Use castigate to express this relationship precisely: reprimand or criticize someone severely for wrongdoing or failure.
What castigate Really Means
The word becomes easier to use when its closely related senses are separated and compared.
2
Common construction
Use this expression in its normal grammatical frame so the relationship between the surrounding ideas remains explicit.
Example
Critics castigated the company over its unsafe practices.
3
Reasoning effect
It tells the reader how to interpret the timing, scope, evidence, contrast, condition, or consequence in the statement.
Example
She castigated the policy without attacking its supporters personally.
Use castigate Naturally
Notice how the surrounding noun or clause reveals the exact shade of meaning.
The report castigated officials for ignoring repeated warnings.
Critics castigated the company over its unsafe practices.
She castigated the policy without attacking its supporters personally.
Precision Matters
Castigate overlaps with several common words, but each carries a different emphasis.
castigate
vs.Means reprimand or criticize someone severely for wrongdoing or failure.
acclaim
Means enthusiastic and public praise.
castigate
vs.Means reprimand or criticize someone severely for wrongdoing or failure.
placate
Means make an angry, dissatisfied, or hostile person calmer and less likely to oppose or retaliate.
castigate
vs.Means reprimand or criticize someone severely for wrongdoing or failure.
extol
Means praise someone or something enthusiastically and publicly.
castigate
vs.Means reprimand or criticize someone severely for wrongdoing or failure.
lambast
Means criticize someone or something very harshly and publicly.
Test castigate in Context
The inquiry condemns and reprimands the managers severely.
1
The inquiry did not merely note the negligence; it proceeded to ___ the managers responsible for it.