castigation
castigation — verb
- castigationpresent simple I / you / we / they
- castigations3rd person singular
- castigationing-ing form
- castigationedpast simple
1. to express extremely strong disapproval of what someone has done or said, often
to express extremely strong disapproval of what someone has done or said, often through harsh words delivered with authority
The judge castigated the lawyer for wasting the court's time with pointless objections.
castigate + person + for + gerund (wasting)
Nkechi was castigated by her supervisor for submitting the financial report three days late.
passive: be castigated by [authority] for [fault]
Newspapers across the country castigated the mayor for failing to address the housing shortage.
Jude castigated himself for forgetting to pick up his daughter from school on her birthday.
- criticize
General term for pointing out faults; far milder and more common than castigate
- censure
Official, formal expression of strong disapproval; similar register but often implies a group or institution, not an individual
- rebuke
Firm but usually shorter and less emotionally charged than castigate; often used for a specific wrong action
文法句型
castigate + person + for + something/doing something
用法筆記
Frequently paired with the preposition 'for' to state the reason for the criticism. Common in journalistic and formal written English; in everyday conversation it would sound overly dramatic — use 'scold' or 'tell off' instead.
常見錯誤
castigation — noun
1. extremely harsh spoken or written words expressing disapproval, delivered as a f
extremely harsh spoken or written words expressing disapproval, delivered as a form of punishment directed at a person or their actions
The ambassador suffered a public castigation from the foreign minister during the press conference.
suffer/face + castigation — typical verb collocations
Min's editorial was a fierce castigation of the university's policy on free speech.
Writers who broke the rules risked castigation by the government's censorship office.
Haruto accepted his teacher's castigation in silence, knowing the criticism was fair.
- criticism
Everyday, milder word that can be positive or negative; far broader in use
- reproof
Similar formality to castigation but slightly less intense; focuses on correcting rather than punishing
- condemnation
Strong public judgment, often about moral or political issues; overlaps with castigation in intensity
用法筆記
Typically uncountable, so it is not used with 'a' or 'an'. Common in formal writing about politics, journalism, or institutional settings. The verbal punishment is almost always delivered by someone in a position of authority.