dress down

verb

dressed down; dressing down; dresses down

Definition of dress down

transitive verb

: to reprove severely

intransitive verb

: to dress casually especially for reasons of fashion

Synonyms Example Sentences Learn More about dress down

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Examples of dress down in a Sentence

dressed down for boorish behavior at the dance

Recent Examples on the Web And while some of us will still throw on glitzy ensembles for virtual holiday parties and small dinner soirees, many will also dress down for piling on the couch and exchanging gifts with siblings and cousins. — Rachel Besser, Vogue, "14 Fancy Masks to Wear For a Fashionable—and Safe—Holiday Season," 17 Dec. 2020 This bestselling Herringbone Chain Necklace is a basic piece women can dress up with layers of jewelry or dress down with jeans and a T-shirt. — Zoe Malin, NBC News, "Best last-minute gifts 2020: Best last-minute holiday gift ideas," 16 Dec. 2020 The reality that the world has moved on without them might not stop sweatpants haters from feeling hostile toward people who dress down. — Amanda Mull, The Atlantic, "America Loves to Hate Sweatpants," 8 Dec. 2020 Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis shows us how to dress down our black turtleneck while still looking polished. — Marykate Boylan, Town & Country, "6 Ways Style a Classic Black Turtleneck," 5 Nov. 2020 While shopping for school supplies at Staples with daughter Vivienne, Jolie opted to retain her signature style rather than dress down. — Janelle Okwodu, Vogue, "Angelina Jolie’s Summer Look is All About Cool Mom Casual," 25 Aug. 2020 It can be dressed up with a cute necklace, cardigan, sandals OR dress down with Keds and a hoodie. — Eden Lichterman, Travel + Leisure, "These 6 Jumpsuits From Amazon Are Perfect for Summer — and They’re All Under $50," 1 July 2020 These office-ready shoes dress down too — and they’re smartly designed with a super-lightweight, flexible sole and moisture-wicking material to keep things breezy. — Krystin Arneson, CNN Underscored, "Shop one-day deals on Adidas, Cole Haan and Levi’s at Amazon’s Big Style Sale," 22 June 2020 Actor and choreographer Darnell Pierre Benjamin is one of those people who manages to look dapper even when he is dressed down. — David Lyman, Cincinnati.com, "Express yourself with fun, fashionable face masks," 7 May 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'dress down.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Dictionary Entries near dress down

dressed and matched

dressed masonry

Statistics for dress down

Last Updated

18 Feb 2021

Cite this Entry

“Dress down.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dress%20down. Accessed 8 Mar. 2021.

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