castigate
to criticize or punish someone severely
Word origin: From Latin castigare, to correct or chastise (castus pure plus agere to drive).
Castigate in a sentence
Here are example sentences showing castigate in a sentence.
The editor castigated the reporter for fabricating his sources.
The columnist castigated the agency for ignoring warnings it had received months earlier.
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Verbal · Text Completion
The committee's report was praised for its candor, yet its central recommendation was so blank that administrators could cite it to justify nearly any policy they had already resolved to pursue.
Using “castigate” well
Castigate means to criticize or punish severely. It is harsher and more formal than ordinary scolding.
More GRE words starting with C
a small secret group plotting against a government or authority
having a hidden or mysterious meaning understood only by initiates
a harsh, jarring mixture of sounds
to obtain something by begging or sponging off others
falling off or shed at an early stage, especially of plant parts
to coax someone into doing something through flattery or persuasion
an event causing great damage, loss, or distress
misty, dim, or dark, and therefore obscure
Questions about “castigate”
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