as in to scold
to criticize (someone) severely or angrily especially for personal failings
I was called down by my supervisor for not catching the accounting error sooner
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Recent Examples of call down
Trail Cams Go To War Trail Cams could be used like the sensors in Igloo White, to call down attacks on logistics vehicles by FPV drones.
—
David Hambling, Forbes, 21 Jan. 2025
This ranges from being able to call down lightning strikes, to conjuring twisters, to freezing foes solid with sub-zero temperatures.
—Griff Griffin, Newsweek, 9 Jan. 2025
The producers call down to WBZ's Steve Burton, who's working as tonight's sideline reporter.
—Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 11 Aug. 2024
The pilot would locate an enemy position and mark it with small smoke bombs; an artillery spotter could then call down a barrage on the marked location.
—David Hambling, Forbes, 29 Nov. 2024
A number of companies are vying to win the business of apartment community companies interested in providing their residents with amenities that might best be called down to earth.
—Jeffrey Steele, Forbes, 2 Oct. 2024
If the alarm rang outside business hours, someone would need to call down a list of seismologists until someone agreed to come in.
—Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 17 Sep. 2024
Dennis called down to a Detroit police officer on the street.
—Jamie L. Lareau, Detroit Free Press, 26 Apr. 2024
There were other questionable calls down the stretch in that one.
—Howard Fendrich, USA TODAY, 6 Feb. 2024
David Hambling, Forbes, 21 Jan. 2025
This ranges from being able to call down lightning strikes, to conjuring twisters, to freezing foes solid with sub-zero temperatures.
—Griff Griffin, Newsweek, 9 Jan. 2025
The producers call down to WBZ's Steve Burton, who's working as tonight's sideline reporter.
—Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 11 Aug. 2024
The pilot would locate an enemy position and mark it with small smoke bombs; an artillery spotter could then call down a barrage on the marked location.
—David Hambling, Forbes, 29 Nov. 2024
A number of companies are vying to win the business of apartment community companies interested in providing their residents with amenities that might best be called down to earth.
—Jeffrey Steele, Forbes, 2 Oct. 2024
If the alarm rang outside business hours, someone would need to call down a list of seismologists until someone agreed to come in.
—Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 17 Sep. 2024
Dennis called down to a Detroit police officer on the street.
—Jamie L. Lareau, Detroit Free Press, 26 Apr. 2024
There were other questionable calls down the stretch in that one.
—Howard Fendrich, USA TODAY, 6 Feb. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for call down
Verb
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At one point, an appalled Robinson came outside to scold her daughter.—
Rachel DeSantis,
People.com,
13 Feb. 2025
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On the other side of the FaceTime call is none other than Set It Off star Vivica Fox, who scolds Glo for sleeping in.—
Michael Saponara,
Billboard,
4 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Schachner playfully lectures Smooth for pulling the blue bandanna off his Team Fluff teammate, Alice.—
Bryan Alexander,
USA TODAY,
10 Feb. 2025
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The long-standing lament that Latin American conservatives, centrists, and leftists share is that whereas the United States comes to the region to punish and lecture, China comes to trade.—
Will Freeman,
The Atlantic,
29 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Witnesses told investigators that Sanchez had planned to reprimand Jimenez for his allegedly poor work ethic and other faults, according to court filings.—
Gary Klien,
The Mercury News,
21 Jan. 2025
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In 2011, in the southern city of Daraa, a group of teen-age boys were caught painting anti-government graffiti on a wall, and, rather than simply reprimand them, secret police tortured them to death.—
Jon Lee Anderson,
The New Yorker,
27 Jan. 2025
Verb
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That, after all, would open up these politicians to scrutiny and blame if the wars didn’t go well.—
Daniel DePetris,
Chicago Tribune,
11 Feb. 2025
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After the 2023 Supreme Court ruling, which deemed affirmative action in university admissions unconstitutional, attacks on DEI proliferated, and the term became a right-wing bogeyman blamed for almost anything that goes wrong in any workplace.—
Kizzy Cox,
Essence,
11 Feb. 2025
Verb
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The agreement is already being heavily criticized by New York City Council leaders, after prosecutors resigned in protest against a directive from Trump's Department of Justice to dismiss corruption charges against Adams so the mayor could assist with the Republican president's immigration agenda.—
DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE STAFF FROM WIRE REPORTS,
arkansasonline.com,
15 Feb. 2025
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Elon Musk's transgender daughter has criticized the decision to remove references to transgender people from the Stonewall National Monument website.—
Josh Hammer,
Newsweek,
14 Feb. 2025
Verb
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What to Know Meghan dressed down for the selfie video in blue jeans and a black top which bore the names of her children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
Newsweek,
5 Feb. 2025
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The Free Assembly Spring Collection is filled with timeless options, including polo shirts, patchwork jeans, pleated skirts, and button down tops that can easily be dressed up to the office or a date night or dressed down for trips to the grocery store, beachside walks, or cozy days indoors.—
Alicia Geigel,
Better Homes & Gardens,
5 Feb. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near call down
Cite this Entry
“Call down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/call%20down. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.
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