DISCIPLINE Synonyms: 181 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'discipline' distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of discipline are castigate , chasten , chastise , correct , and punish . While all these words mean "to inflict a penalty on in requital for wrongdoing," discipline implies a punishing or chastening in order to bring under control. // parents must discipline their children

Q: When is 'castigate' a more appropriate choice than 'discipline'?

The meanings of castigate and discipline largely overlap; however, castigate usually implies a severe, typically public censure. // an editorial castigating the entire city council

Q: When would 'chasten' be a good substitute for 'discipline'?

The synonyms chasten and discipline are sometimes interchangeable, but chasten suggests any affliction or trial that leaves one humbled or subdued. // chastened by a landslide election defeat

Q: When can 'chastise' be used instead of 'discipline'?

While the synonyms chastise and discipline are close in meaning, chastise may apply to either the infliction of corporal punishment or to verbal censure or denunciation. // chastised his son for neglecting his studies

Q: When might 'correct' be a better fit than 'discipline'?

While in some cases nearly identical to discipline , correct implies punishing aimed at reforming an offender. // the function of prison is to correct the wrongdoer

Q: When is it sensible to use 'punish' instead of 'discipline'?

The words punish and discipline can be used in similar contexts, but punish implies subjecting to a penalty for wrongdoing. // punished for stealing

discipline 1 of 2

noun

ˈdi-sə-plən

Definition of discipline next

as in department

a region of activity, knowledge, or influence you must choose a discipline to focus on in college

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as in punishment

suffering, loss, or hardship imposed in response to a crime or offense harsh discipline was imposed to keep order within the ranks

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in restraint

the checking of one's true feelings and impulses when dealing with others she lacks the discipline that's essential for a job in customer relations

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

discipline

2 of 2

verb

as in to punish

to inflict a penalty on for a fault or crime the pranksters were severely disciplined for their irresponsible stunt

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word discipline distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of discipline are castigate, chasten, chastise, correct, and punish. While all these words mean "to inflict a penalty on in requital for wrongdoing," discipline implies a punishing or chastening in order to bring under control.

parents must discipline their children

When is castigate a more appropriate choice than discipline?

The meanings of castigate and discipline largely overlap; however, castigate usually implies a severe, typically public censure.

an editorial castigating the entire city council

When would chasten be a good substitute for discipline?

The synonyms chasten and discipline are sometimes interchangeable, but chasten suggests any affliction or trial that leaves one humbled or subdued.

chastened by a landslide election defeat

When can chastise be used instead of discipline?

While the synonyms chastise and discipline are close in meaning, chastise may apply to either the infliction of corporal punishment or to verbal censure or denunciation.

chastised his son for neglecting his studies

When might correct be a better fit than discipline?

While in some cases nearly identical to discipline, correct implies punishing aimed at reforming an offender.

the function of prison is to correct the wrongdoer

When is it sensible to use punish instead of discipline?

The words punish and discipline can be used in similar contexts, but punish implies subjecting to a penalty for wrongdoing.

punished for stealing

Examples of discipline in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

After ranking the researchers in each discipline according to the number of citations their papers received, the authors found that mentors who ranked higher had mentees who ranked higher, too. —

Byholly Else, science.org, 14 Aug. 2024 Across the Games, around 10,500 athletes competed in 48 sports disciplines. —

Aliza Chasan, CBS News, 11 Aug. 2024

Verb

While other criminal justice studies have looked at police misconduct and how it is disciplined, Dario’s team was the first to connect that misconduct to a quantifiable measurement of the damage done. —

Shira Moolten, Sun Sentinel, 5 Aug. 2024 In a lawsuit filed last week in federal court, Alyssa Esquivel alleged that district officials violated her constitutional rights to free speech and state labor protections in disciplining her for carrying personal items that referenced the former president. —

Matthew Ormseth, Los Angeles Times, 3 Aug. 2024 See all Example Sentences for discipline

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'discipline.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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“Discipline.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/discipline. Accessed 28 Aug. 2024.

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Last Updated: 27 Aug 2024 - Updated example sentences

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Synonyms of discipline

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verb

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