Synonym Chooser

How is the word chaste distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of chaste are decent, modest, and pure. While all these words mean "free from all taint of what is lewd or salacious," chaste primarily implies a refraining from acts or even thoughts or desires that are not virginal or not sanctioned by marriage vows.

they maintained chaste relations

How are the words modest and decent related as synonyms of chaste?

Both modest and decent apply especially to deportment and dress as outward signs of inward chastity or purity.

preferred more modest swimsuits
decent people didn't go to such movies

How do pure and chaste relate to one another?

Pure differs from chaste in implying innocence and absence of temptation rather than control of one's impulses and actions.

the pure of heart

Examples Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of chaste Yet their relationship, chaste and proper according to Muslim values, never develops; the reader never even learns the woman’s name. Adam Sella, New York Times, 26 May 2024 Yet, more than three-quarters of women and girls in the country have been subjected to it, according to the United Nations, because of religious beliefs that the partial or total removal of these body parts ensures that women remain chaste. Astha Rajvanshi, TIME, 23 May 2024 This chaste encounter unleashes in Norah a passion for art and, by extension, for a better life away from the village. Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 17 May 2024 In one instance during the demo, cast member Charlie—a girl-next-door type who is more chaste than a few of the others—specifically requests that the player cut down on any shots of the cast’s ass. Megan Farokhmanesh, WIRED, 4 Apr. 2024 See all Example Sentences for chaste 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for chaste
Adjective
  • And there definitely was a party element to the occasion, with guests moving to the sounds of the DJ, performing line dances with pure joy.
    Curtis Bunn, NBC News, 6 Nov. 2024
  • But scientists didn’t figure out how to isolate, extract, and ingest pure DMT on its own until 1956, which branched the drug off from ayahuasca into its own history.
    Oshan Jarow, Vox, 4 Nov. 2024
Adjective
  • Similarly, veteran Nevada political journalist Jon Ralston, known for his pristine presidential election forecast in the state, also predicted Monday that independents, which make up the plurality of voters in Nevada, would propel Harris to a narrow 0.3-point victory over Trump in Nevada.
    Sara Dorn, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
  • Here are 11 destinations where the holiday season meets pristine powder, making for one perfect ski getaway.
    Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 4 Nov. 2024
Adjective
  • The Crown stands out for its immaculate attention to detail and grandeur — something that aligns with our storytelling ethos at Bhansali Productions.
    Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Oct. 2024
  • In immaculate condition, a Type 57 Ventoux will approach a million dollars at auction.
    Raphael Orlove, Robb Report, 1 Aug. 2024
Adjective
  • At the end of the dredging, sediment that’s not placed on the beach could be left in the pit and covered with a layer of clean sand.
    San Diego Union-Tribune, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Feb. 2023
  • Think about it: the record companies forced them to be clean cut and preppy and all those things.
    Gary Gerard Hamilton, Anchorage Daily News, 3 Feb. 2023
Adjective
  • Noninterest income was $2.4 million, slightly down from $2.4 million in the previous year, with modest decreases in service charges and card processing income.
    Quartz Bot, Quartz, 14 Nov. 2024
  • Godot’s games flourish on open indie storefronts like itch.io, where the engine enjoys modest popularity among the community.
    PCMAG, PCMAG, 7 Nov. 2024
Adjective
  • Though this was at a time when homosexuality was still widely frowned upon, the pair managed to break through on pure, unsullied vision.
    Michael Cuby, Them, 29 Oct. 2024
  • Wolves and bears still roam the silent valleys of the Principality’s unsullied interior, and a new kind of wildlife tourism has sprung up to cater for visitors keen to peer at them through telescopes.
    Paul Richardson, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Apr. 2024

Thesaurus Entries Near chaste

Cite this Entry

“Chaste.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/chaste. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

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