To chasten means to discipline or correct someone in a way that makes them more humble and thoughtful. When a coach chastens a star player who's been showing off, she might bench them for a game to help them remember that teamwork matters more than individual glory. When a teacher chastens a student who's been careless with assignments, he's trying to help that student take their work more seriously.

The word comes from an old idea that correction, while unpleasant, can improve someone's character. A chastened person has learned from a mistake or failure and becomes more modest because of it. After boasting that a test would be easy, a student who fails might feel chastened and realize they should have studied harder.

You might hear someone say they felt chastened by an experience, like a young athlete who talked big before a tournament but then lost badly. The defeat chastened them, meaning it taught them humility. The word suggests that the correction, though humbling, can help someone grow wiser and more mature.