as in to scold
to criticize (someone) severely or angrily especially for personal failings
dressed down for boorish behavior at the dance
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Recent Examples of dress down
But the day after Mr. Trump dressed down President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine in an explosive meeting at the White House — the latest show of Mr. Trump’s declining support for Ukraine — some Ukrainian New Yorkers were left feeling divided.
—
Mark Bonamo, New York Times, 3 Mar. 2025
The disagreement between Biden and Zelenskyy came in a private phone call — not a public dressing down in the Oval Office.
—Daniel Arkin, NBC News, 3 Mar. 2025
One department was given a rather public dressing down, however.
—Mark Carey, The Athletic, 11 Feb. 2025
By now Francis' annual Christmas address to the priests, bishops and cardinals who work in the Vatican Curia has become a lesson in humility — and humiliation — as Francis offers a public dressing down of some of the sins in the workplace at the headquarters of the Catholic Church.
—CBS News, 21 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for dress down
Mark Bonamo, New York Times, 3 Mar. 2025
The disagreement between Biden and Zelenskyy came in a private phone call — not a public dressing down in the Oval Office.
—Daniel Arkin, NBC News, 3 Mar. 2025
One department was given a rather public dressing down, however.
—Mark Carey, The Athletic, 11 Feb. 2025
By now Francis' annual Christmas address to the priests, bishops and cardinals who work in the Vatican Curia has become a lesson in humility — and humiliation — as Francis offers a public dressing down of some of the sins in the workplace at the headquarters of the Catholic Church.
—CBS News, 21 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for dress down
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dress down
Verb
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Michelle Obama playfully scolded her husband, Barack Obama, on her new podcast with her brother, Craig Robinson.—
Faisal Kutty,
Newsweek,
12 Mar. 2025
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According to Smith, James, who approached him in the third quarter during a timeout, scolded him for his commentary regarding his son and teammate, Bronny James.—
Preezy Brown,
VIBE.com,
12 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Tristan is doing a surprisingly good job at lecturing the Royal Army Veterinary Corps soldiers about taking care of mules and the like.—
Alice Burton,
Vulture,
23 Feb. 2025
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The hostages forum described Moses as an expert agronomist who lectured on agriculture and helped maintain the kibbutz’s community vegetable garden.—
ASSOCIATED PRESS,
TIME,
22 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Police had stern words for one teenager caught surfing and four others were also reprimanded for putting themselves and others in danger.—
Hilary Whiteman,
CNN,
7 Mar. 2025
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Trump and Vance reprimanded Zelensky, accusing him of lacking gratitude for U.S. aid.—
Tommy Tuberville,
Newsweek,
7 Mar. 2025
Verb
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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
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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
Verb
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Recently, however, doctors have started reporting more cases of iodine-deficient hypothyroidism—and our salt preferences may be at least partially to blame.—
Ellen Cushing,
The Atlantic,
8 Mar. 2025
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The Democratic establishment’s focus on blaming Trump for those price spikes represents a stark break from its activists, who have launched a protest movement arguing that Trump is a budding dictator with no regard for the Constitution.—
Steve Peoples,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Mar. 2025
Verb
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But to chew out his boss--Edwin Stanton, secretary of war--would be more than just getting close to the line of insubordination.—
arkansasonline.com,
arkansasonline.com,
12 Feb. 2025
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There’s also a story line of Harper being chewed out by Petra when Petra finds out how Harper actually got the information necessary to short Pierpoint, i.e., illegally.—
Nina Li Coomes,
Vulture,
22 Sep. 2024
Verb
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Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito have sharply criticized the other Supreme Court judges for declining to hear a case called Alabama v. California.—
Faisal Kutty,
Newsweek,
11 Mar. 2025
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Edelman sharply criticized that decision in an interview that aired last week on the Pablo Torre Finds Out podcast.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
11 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dress down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dress%20down. Accessed 19 Mar. 2025.
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