castigate
KAS-tih-gaytverbMeaning to scold or criticize severely
Memory hook CASTLE GATE: a sharp scolding. The queen meets the late knight at the castle gate and scolds him so sharply that his armor rattles; she castigates him.
The teacher castigated the class for leaving the art room a mess.
In context The editor castigated the reporter in front of the whole newsroom for printing the story without checking a single fact.
Similar scold, rebuke, berate, chastise
Opposite praise, commend, compliment
From Latin castigare, “to correct, to punish,” from castus (pure). Chastise comes from the same root.