Having been punished or subdued; made more modest, careful, or humble by experience or correction.
Past tense of 'chasten,' entering English usage primarily in the 16th century when the verb form became common in religious and moral contexts.
A 'chastened' person has learned a lesson—whether from punishment or failure—and has become more humble and thoughtful about their actions, which is why the word appears so often in literature about character development.
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