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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dress down
And Germany is in line for a particularly harsh dressing down.
—
Rob Picheta, CNN, 20 Feb. 2025
Faustino was dressed down in a black T-shirt and camouflage shorts for the outing.
—Raven Brunner, People.com, 12 Apr. 2025
While some of the girls dressed down in designer clothes, others were donning furs in the club.
—Alexandra Jane, Essence, 10 Apr. 2025
The two, dressed down in casual layers for a midmorning stroll, were seen holding hands and affectionately embracing one another.
—Glamour, 4 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dress down
Rob Picheta, CNN, 20 Feb. 2025
Faustino was dressed down in a black T-shirt and camouflage shorts for the outing.
—Raven Brunner, People.com, 12 Apr. 2025
While some of the girls dressed down in designer clothes, others were donning furs in the club.
—Alexandra Jane, Essence, 10 Apr. 2025
The two, dressed down in casual layers for a midmorning stroll, were seen holding hands and affectionately embracing one another.
—Glamour, 4 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dress down
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dress down
Verb
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Today's top stories President Trump scolded Russian President Vladimir Putin yesterday after Russia launched a deadly strike on the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv.—
Brittney Melton,
NPR,
25 Apr. 2025
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That, in the end, is the heart of the spectacle of Noem’s militaristic videos and Leavitt’s scolding and lies.—
Constance Grady,
Vox,
25 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Conor Heffernan, who lectures on the history of sports and fitness at Ulster University, in Ireland, said the current vogue for biohacking, and its protein boosterism, reeks of snake oil.—
Hannah Goldfield,
New Yorker,
21 Apr. 2025
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Her quotidian life was lecturing at a college in Aberdeen, close to where she was born, and the travel and mountaineering a teacher’s schedule enables.—
Sadie Stein,
New York Times,
6 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Rourke was formally reprimanded by the show and ultimately booted from the house.—
Mikelle Street,
Them.,
23 Apr. 2025
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And when no one was fired or even reprimanded for the FUBAR, the accountability Hegseth promised had seemingly gone AWOL.—
S.E. Cupp,
New York Daily News,
23 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The next day the family was called down to the station to pick up Skip.—
Janine Rubenstein,
People.com,
24 Apr. 2025
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Battling In The Skies The interceptors stand between Ukrainian forces and Russian drones, including reconnaissance drones which call down artillery and rocket fire and attack drones.—
David Hambling,
Forbes.com,
4 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Summary Stop blaming the algorithm for slow LinkedIn growth.—
Jodie Cook,
Forbes.com,
25 Apr. 2025
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Duffy should listen to the lawyers, but instead the Trump Department of Justice has transferred the handling of the congestion price litigation from New York lawyers to some in D.C., blaming the SDNY for intentionally sabotaging the case in filing the letter where it could be seen by all.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
25 Apr. 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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Judge is chewing out the parties.—
Michael Gfoeller And David H. Rundell,
Newsweek,
16 Jan. 2025
Verb
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She was criticized by some for her expensive timepiece and for using prisoners as production props.—
Michael Collins,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2025
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Carey criticized laissez-faire economics for degrading the British working class.—
Made by History,
Time,
28 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dress down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dress%20down. Accessed 7 May. 2025.
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