castigate
/ˈkæs.tə.ɡeɪt/
Group 2Difficulty 2/3
Definition
- (verb)
- To reprimand severely GRE
Example in Context
The editorial castigated officials for their failure to act despite months of warnings from scientific advisors who had predicted the crisis.
Synonyms
scoldcriticizerebuke
Etymology
From Latin, meaning to chastise or reprimand severely.
- castigatus (Latin) — to chastise
Memory Aid
🚪Sounds like “cast a gate”
Imagine someone throwing a gate at you while yelling, 'You’re CASTIGATED for being late!' — that's CASTIGATE!
Visual Association
⚡A stern teacher dramatically shaking a ruler at a student for a major mistake.
Semantic Clusters
Synonym Groups
Frequently Asked Questions
What does “castigate” mean on the GRE?
castigate (verb) means “To reprimand severely”. The editorial castigated officials for their failure to act despite months of warnings from scientific advisors who had predicted the crisis.
How to remember “castigate” for the GRE?
Mnemonic: “castigate” sounds like “cast a gate”. Imagine someone throwing a gate at you while yelling, 'You’re CASTIGATED for being late!' — that's CASTIGATE!
What are synonyms for “castigate”?
Common synonyms: scold, criticize, rebuke.