as in scolded
to criticize (someone) severely or angrily especially for personal failings
I was called down by my supervisor for not catching the accounting error sooner
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example 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 called down
After leaving the field at the end of the third, Fried walked into the tunnel leading to the visitors’ clubhouse, flanked by pitching coach Matt Blake, who immediately called down to the bullpen to have Paul Blackburn warm up.
—
Chris Kirschner, New York Times, 13 May 2026
Even the New York State Police had been called down to join, and were standing around in their purple ties and Dudley Do-Right hats.
—Erin Vanderhoof, Vanity Fair, 29 Apr. 2026
At another point, NASA astronaut and Artemis II commander Reid Wiseman called down to Earth to NASA’s IT specialists on the ground to report that both versions of Microsoft’s email program Outlook installed on his computer were not working.
—Noah Haggerty, Los Angeles Times, 6 Apr. 2026
Ming opened up her fourth floor window and called down to the firefighters below.
—Kate Talerico, San Francisco Chronicle, 19 Jan. 2026
Derpetrossian was working with a hot shot crew with the Angeles National Forest when he got called down to help fight fires that were popping up around Los Angeles while the Palisades Fire wreaked havoc on the city’s Westside.
—Cindy Von Quednow, CNN Money, 17 Jan. 2026
Scott said, when he was called down to the lobby, James threatened his family.
—Jermont Terry, CBS News, 5 Dec. 2025
On July 14th, Etoria was called down to intake with a group of men of diverse nationalities.
—Sarah Stillman, New Yorker, 24 Nov. 2025
They are insulated with feathers from ducks or geese called down.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 13 Oct. 2025
Chris Kirschner, New York Times, 13 May 2026
Even the New York State Police had been called down to join, and were standing around in their purple ties and Dudley Do-Right hats.
—Erin Vanderhoof, Vanity Fair, 29 Apr. 2026
At another point, NASA astronaut and Artemis II commander Reid Wiseman called down to Earth to NASA’s IT specialists on the ground to report that both versions of Microsoft’s email program Outlook installed on his computer were not working.
—Noah Haggerty, Los Angeles Times, 6 Apr. 2026
Ming opened up her fourth floor window and called down to the firefighters below.
—Kate Talerico, San Francisco Chronicle, 19 Jan. 2026
Derpetrossian was working with a hot shot crew with the Angeles National Forest when he got called down to help fight fires that were popping up around Los Angeles while the Palisades Fire wreaked havoc on the city’s Westside.
—Cindy Von Quednow, CNN Money, 17 Jan. 2026
Scott said, when he was called down to the lobby, James threatened his family.
—Jermont Terry, CBS News, 5 Dec. 2025
On July 14th, Etoria was called down to intake with a group of men of diverse nationalities.
—Sarah Stillman, New Yorker, 24 Nov. 2025
They are insulated with feathers from ducks or geese called down.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 13 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for called down
Verb
-
The child, now 6 years old, only hears her full name when she's being scolded — though Kendra and Bill are currently trying to undo that pattern.—
Rachel Raposas,
PEOPLE,
27 May 2026
-
Katie Porter scolded, Tom Steyer channeled Bernie.—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
6 May 2026
Verb
-
Sharon is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, an Honorary Member of the UK Association of Jungian Analysts, and has taught and lectured at many academic institutions, Jungian organisations, retreat centres and cultural festivals around the world.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 June 2026
-
It was also being lectured by people who presented a formulaic perspective on a complicated future that the class of 2026 is already navigating.—
Ann Kirschner,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2026
Verb
-
Behind closed doors, ProPublica revealed, the majority-Republican state Supreme Court quashed the commission’s recommendations that two Republican judges who’d admitted to committing egregious conduct violations be publicly reprimanded.—
Doug Bock Clark,
ProPublica,
5 June 2026
-
The employee has been reprimanded.—
Zachary Schermele,
USA Today,
3 June 2026
Verb
-
This elegant sky blue style can be dressed up with strappy heels and jewelry or dressed down with raffia ballet flats to work for a variety of dress codes.—
Jordan Julian,
InStyle,
22 May 2026
-
Think of ranch water as a dressed down margarita that's hard to mess up.—
Kimberly Holland,
Southern Living,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
In March 2026, a detainee escaped from the facility, which ICE officials blamed on the contractors' inability to track people housed there.—
Trevor Hughes,
USA Today,
9 June 2026
-
Its satellites have been blamed for interfering with astronomical observations and posing an ever-increasing risk of space collisions.—
Business Columnist,
Los Angeles Times,
9 June 2026
Verb
-
Advocates have long criticized the conditions at the Aurora facility, and those complaints — alongside concerns that more facilities could open in the state — helped drive HB 1276’s contents.—
Seth Klamann,
Denver Post,
9 June 2026
-
Bass has called for hiring more officers and defending her Inside Safe homelessness program, while Raman has criticized the cost of police raises, called for broader public-safety responses and argued that the city needs a more accountable and cost-effective homelessness system.—
Teresa Liu,
Daily News,
9 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Called down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/called%20down. Accessed 12 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
