chasten

/ˈt͡ʃeɪ.sən/

//ˈt͡ʃeɪ.sən// verb

"chasten" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“chasten” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a verb. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
7
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - To make chaste.

Corpus desk

Index EN-chasten · chasten · English

chasten · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
  • LEN-LONG 7 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-THIN "C" thin
  • PHOTO-UNK Peer pending

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Key facts for chasten
PropertyValue
Headwordchasten
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ˈt͡ʃeɪ.sən/
Letters7
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “chasten” in English

chastenranks outside the top 100,000 English headwords, in the long tail of specialist, archaic, or seldom-used vocabulary, exactly the territory where a reader stops mid-sentence to double-check spelling.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

chasten is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as averb, transcribed /ˈt͡ʃeɪ.sən/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 3 senses are on record.

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for chasten, a sign its spelling follows regular English conventions. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, a sign it's visually distinctive enough not to be mixed up with another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English chastien, from Old French chastier (“punish”), from Latin castīgō. Doublet of chastise and castigate and related to chaste. The correct English form is chasten, spelled C-H-A-S-T-E-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    To make chaste.
  2. 2
    To chastize; to punish or reprimand for the sake of improvement.
  3. 3
    To render humble or restrained.

Recorded use

Wiktionary example

These source excerpts show how chasten appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. I will be his father, and he shall be my sonne: if hee commit iniquitie, I will chasten him with the rodde of men, and with the stripes of the children of men.

Etymology

From Middle English chastien, from Old French chastier (“punish”), from Latin castīgō. Doublet of chastise and castigate and related to chaste.

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "chasten"?
"chasten" is spelled C-H-A-S-T-E-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈt͡ʃeɪ.sən/.
What does "chasten" mean?
As a verb, "chasten" means: To make chaste.
How do you pronounce "chasten"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "chasten" is /ˈt͡ʃeɪ.sən/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "chasten"?
From Middle English chastien, from Old French chastier (“punish”), from Latin castīgō. Doublet of chastise and castigate and related to chaste. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list