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
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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
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This time, however, Charlotte promptly scolded him for his untoward behavior.
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Four years ago, Infantino scolded critics during a news conference ahead of the opener in Qatar.
Verb
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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.
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It was also being lectured by people who presented a formulaic perspective on a complicated future that the class of 2026 is already navigating.
Verb
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One notable instance came in season 1 of America's Sweethearts, when Powell was reprimanded for asking where her ornament was on the locker room Christmas tree, as opposed to expressing gratitude for the decorations.
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Later on during the trial, the judge reprimanded Pino and his supporters for hugging and physical embracing him while court was in session and the jury was present.
Verb
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Zesica Striped Wide-leg Pants Pinstripe trousers are a must-have in my wardrobe for their year-round versatility and ability to elevate any outfit, whether styled for professional settings or dressed down for casual, travel-friendly looks.
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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.
Verb
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The county argues the grand jury fundamentally misunderstood what happened before the explosion, saying its investigation relied on speculation instead of evidence and wrongly blamed county officials for a criminal enterprise prosecutors say was built on years of deception.
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That’s how many layoffs have been blamed on AI so far this year, according to career services firm Challenger, Gray and Christmas.
Verb
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Greenspan was also criticized for enacting policies that contributed to the subprime mortgage crisis that led to the recession at the end of the 2000s.
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The Federal Reserve’s steadfast period of low interest rates in the 2000s was criticized as contributing to a housing bubble in the 2000s, followed by the mortgage crisis of 2007 and the Great Recession the following year.
Cite this Entry
“Called down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/called%20down. Accessed 26 Jun. 2026.
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