From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishcastigatecast‧i‧gate /ˈkæstɪɡeɪt/ verb [transitive] formalCRITICIZE to criticize or punish someone severely —castigation /ˌkæstəˈɡeɪʃən/ noun [uncountable]→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
castigate• More importantly, by castigating conductive education he obscures some very important implications that the method has for the West.• The aristocracy of this period has been castigated for its naked self-interest and expediency.• She'd also had time to castigate herself for meekly following him inside.• Lydia did not castigate herself for so disliking a fellow-being, believing that it was sufficient merely to refrain from overt unkindness.• He even castigated himself for not being a better example, more patient, gentler.• Hodge castigated Rhee's statement and the actions of his supporters.• Admittedly, Norton-Taylor castigates the food industry as well as the landowners and the farmers - he spreads his castigation very evenly.• He castigated those who had become wealthy by exploiting their political standing for private gain.Origin castigate (1600-1700) Latin past participle of castigare, from castus ( → CHASTE) + -igere (from agere “to drive”) 