as in to rail (at or against)
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Recent Examples of tell off
Stephen King made a surprise return to X on Feb. 20 to tell off President Trump and Elon Musk, the latter of which owns the social media platform.
—
Zack Sharf, Variety, 21 Feb. 2025
Deliverance is a game about being told off for sleeping in other people's beds.
—David Faris, Newsweek, 3 Feb. 2025
The West Coast rapper took to TikTok to share a 50 Cent meme where the Queens rapper was confused about being told off by Floyd Mayweather.
—Demicia Inman, VIBE.com, 3 Sep. 2019
Two small feral-looking kids, ragged, both looked about seven years old, had been told off several times for knocking some of these flimsy chairs to one side as if to let the horse out.
—Ali Smith, Harper's Magazine, 2 Jan. 2025
The text overlay reads: POV you're being told off at 24 and 27.
—Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 17 Jan. 2025
The Panathinaikos substitutes and coaches, arms locked on the touchline, were told off for encroaching onto the pitch.
—Nick Miller, The Athletic, 16 Aug. 2024
Despite being told off, the baubles remained too exciting.
—Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 23 Dec. 2024
Is Bissouma forgiven? Ange Postecoglou said on Friday that Yves Bissouma’s response to his suspension for his laughing gas misdemeanour had been like a punished child, whose behaviour is perfect for the two days after being told off.
—Jack Pitt-Brooke, The Athletic, 24 Aug. 2024
Zack Sharf, Variety, 21 Feb. 2025
Deliverance is a game about being told off for sleeping in other people's beds.
—David Faris, Newsweek, 3 Feb. 2025
The West Coast rapper took to TikTok to share a 50 Cent meme where the Queens rapper was confused about being told off by Floyd Mayweather.
—Demicia Inman, VIBE.com, 3 Sep. 2019
Two small feral-looking kids, ragged, both looked about seven years old, had been told off several times for knocking some of these flimsy chairs to one side as if to let the horse out.
—Ali Smith, Harper's Magazine, 2 Jan. 2025
The text overlay reads: POV you're being told off at 24 and 27.
—Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 17 Jan. 2025
The Panathinaikos substitutes and coaches, arms locked on the touchline, were told off for encroaching onto the pitch.
—Nick Miller, The Athletic, 16 Aug. 2024
Despite being told off, the baubles remained too exciting.
—Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 23 Dec. 2024
Is Bissouma forgiven? Ange Postecoglou said on Friday that Yves Bissouma’s response to his suspension for his laughing gas misdemeanour had been like a punished child, whose behaviour is perfect for the two days after being told off.
—Jack Pitt-Brooke, The Athletic, 24 Aug. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tell off
Verb
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The short reel shows users how to cut up and tape together cardboard pieces to create a little homemade tool that helps toddlers learn how to fold shirts.—
Adrianna Rodriguez,
USA TODAY,
10 Mar. 2025
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This tincture spray — made by soaking cut up avocado pits in 91 percent rubbing alcohol overnight — can help with just about any type of pain, one TikTok user claims in a video that has racked up millions of views.—
Tom Gavin,
EverydayHealth.com,
24 Feb. 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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Photos provided by Niğde representatives show the mummy with its arms crossed and placed on a bed of sheets and ragged cardboard.—
Andrew Paul,
Popular Science,
13 Mar. 2025
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By then, her voice had worn ragged — lower in pitch, rougher in tone, better suited for more sophisticated songs.—
Robert Levine,
Billboard,
1 Feb. 2025
Verb
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This was heightened by the extraordinary dressing down Trump and Vice President JD Vance gave Zelensky in his recent Oval Office visit and an apparent rapprochement between the White House and the Kremlin.—
William Lambers,
Newsweek,
9 Mar. 2025
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In This Week’s Issue REVERSE-NIXON Might Donald Trump’s public dressing down of Volodymyr Zelensky have been intended to repair relations with Russia and put China on their back foot, Richard Nixon–style?—
airmail.news,
airmail.news,
8 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Counties with Republican executives were punished by receiving no vaccination site for months.—
Ryan Silverstein,
New York Daily News,
16 Mar. 2025
-
European leaders view the EU as an alliance focused on preventing wars after World War II, not punishing the United States, as Trump suggests.—
Alexis Simendinger,
The Hill,
14 Mar. 2025
Verb
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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
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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
Verb
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The Rams took a four-point lead into halftime with Hollier at three fouls, one of them a technical for jawing with the ref.—
Kyle Newman,
The Denver Post,
7 Mar. 2025
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Peralta got Adames to pop out — but Adames chatted and jawed with those in the Brewers’ dugout during warmups.—
Justice delos Santos,
The Mercury News,
28 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Vance, who lectures U.S. allies about how to run their affairs, reminds us of every rich guy from suburban Pittsburgh who visits the Amalfi Coast in the summer, drives up the pedestrianized streets, and then complains that the pasta is too chewy and there’s no AC in his 15th-century villa.—
Helen Lewis,
The Atlantic,
16 Mar. 2025
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Obama himself had to lecture black men testily about the need to turn out for Harris, suggesting their reluctance was due to sexism, but Biden’s numbers with this demographic were worse.—
W. James Antle III,
Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government,
14 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tell off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tell%20off. Accessed 23 Mar. 2025.
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