- to bring to a state of submission; subdue; tame
- to discipline or correct by punishment
- to moderate; restrain; temper
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
chas•ten /ˈtʃeɪsən/USA pronunciation
v. [~ + object]
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- to inflict punishment or suffering upon (someone) in order to correct:The huge defeat chastened the overconfident team.
- to make humble or restrained:We were chastened by the knowledge of how little we really knew.
chas•ten
(chā′sən),USA pronunciation v.t.
chas′ten•er, n.
chas′ten•ing•ly, adv.
chas′ten•ment, n.
- to inflict suffering upon for purposes of moral improvement;
chastise. - to restrain;
subdue:Age has chastened his violent temper. - to make chaste in style.
- Latin castigāre; see castigate
- Old French chastier
- 1520–30; chaste + -en1; replacing chaste (verb, verbal), Middle English chastien
chas′ten•ing•ly, adv.
chas′ten•ment, n.
- 1. discipline, punish. 2. humble. 3. purify, simplify.
- 1. indulge.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
chasten /ˈtʃeɪsən/ vb (transitive)
'chastened' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):