Castigate
hardKAS-tih-gayt
verb
Definition
To criticize or reprimand severely
Examples
“The editorial castigated the government for its inaction.”
“He was castigated by critics for his controversial statements.”
Categories
GRE Tip
Castigate is a hard-difficulty GRE word. On the GRE, you might see it paired with synonyms like "chastise" or "rebuke" in Sentence Equivalence questions. Look for contrast clues (however, despite, although) that signal the opposite meaning. Words like "commend".
Related GRE Words
vituperate
To blame or insult someone in strong or violent language
berate
To scold or criticize someone angrily and at length
excoriate
To criticize severely; to strip off the skin
upbraid
To scold or criticize severely
censure
To express severe disapproval of someone or something, especially in a formal statement
chastise
To rebuke or reprimand severely; to punish
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