castigating

Delivering severe criticism

Castigating is the present participle of castigate, meaning to criticize or reprimand severely.

The word carries a sense of harsh verbal punishment: The senator spent twenty minutes castigating her colleagues for their inaction.

Unlike mild correction, castigating implies intense disapproval delivered with force.

reprimand

rebuking

Voicing sharp disapproval

chastisingCriticizing severely for faults
beratingHarsh verbal criticism
upbraidingCriticizing someone sharply

admonishing · reproaching · censuring · condemning · denouncing · criticizing · chiding · scolding · lambasting · excoriating

discipline

punishment

Penalty for an offense

correctionFixing of mistakes
chastisementFormal scolding or correction
penaltyPunishment for wrongdoing

penance · retribution · sanction · reproof · admonition · comeuppance · disciplining · penalizing · corrective action

condemnation

censure

Formal institutional disapproval

denunciationFormal public accusation
diatribeBitter, prolonged verbal attack
tiradeExtended angry speech

invective · vituperation · fulmination · objurgation · animadversion · opprobrium · obloquy · excoriation · stricture · philippic

Categories

reproachesblaming, scolding, rebuking, reprimanding, censuring
scoldingscold, scolding, rebuke, berate, reprimand
disrespectinsulting, belittling, demeaning, mocking, ridiculing
beatingsbeating, thrashing, pummeling, pounding, battering

Opposites

evaluative speech act

castigatingpraising

Voicing admiration

commending · lauding · extolling · applauding · complimenting

Family

castigation, castigations

Familiarity: Top 200,000
Profile: Used worldwide · Timeless · Abstract · Negative · Everyday, not technical · Rated PG