as in to scold
to criticize (someone) severely or angrily especially for personal failings
dressed down for boorish behavior at the dance
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 dress down
The judge dressed down another defendant and two lawyers.
—
Patricia Gallagher Newberry, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025
Whether dressing up for a night out or dressing down with sneakers for a casual daytime look, denim offers versatility that few other fabrics can match.
—Jené Luciani Sena
May Earn A Commission If You Buy Through Our Referral Links. This Content Was Created By A Team That Works Independently From The Fox Newsroom., FOXNews.com, 20 June 2025
The terms, which still have to be ratified by Ukraine’s parliament, seem to have dissolved weeks of tension between the inner circles of President Donald Trump and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky after Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance dressed down Zelensky in a heated Oval Office exchange.
—Brian Bennett, Time, 1 May 2025
Although the Coachella ‘fits were of course way more flashy, Hailey’s look is proving that micro shorts can be just as chic dressed down.
—Kleigh Balugo, StyleCaster, 15 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dress down
Patricia Gallagher Newberry, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025
Whether dressing up for a night out or dressing down with sneakers for a casual daytime look, denim offers versatility that few other fabrics can match.
—Jené Luciani Sena
May Earn A Commission If You Buy Through Our Referral Links. This Content Was Created By A Team That Works Independently From The Fox Newsroom., FOXNews.com, 20 June 2025
The terms, which still have to be ratified by Ukraine’s parliament, seem to have dissolved weeks of tension between the inner circles of President Donald Trump and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky after Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance dressed down Zelensky in a heated Oval Office exchange.
—Brian Bennett, Time, 1 May 2025
Although the Coachella ‘fits were of course way more flashy, Hailey’s look is proving that micro shorts can be just as chic dressed down.
—Kleigh Balugo, StyleCaster, 15 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dress down
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dress down
Verb
-
Whether this comes off as a joke or as an invitation for scolding (spoken or unspoken, loving or otherwise) depends entirely on the other Muslims in the room.—
Hanif Abdurraqib,
New Yorker,
13 July 2025
-
But there was a time Emily Deschanel, who played the meticulous forensic anthropologist through 12 seasons of Bones, got scolded for being just that — and the memory still makes the star emotional.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
12 July 2025
Verb
-
Gavin could learn something to benefit Californians rather than lecturing Americans 3,000 miles away.—
Anna Commander,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 July 2025
-
Amy Lieberman, a politics and society editor at The Conversation U.S., spoke with Lincoln Mitchell, a political strategy and campaign specialist who lectures at Columbia University, to understand what Mamdani’s primary win might indicate about the direction of national politics.—
Lincoln Mitchell,
The Conversation,
27 June 2025
Verb
-
The responding officer later reprimanded the woman for entering the vehicle to help the dog.—
Sydney Sasser
July 11,
Charlotte Observer,
11 July 2025
-
Some judges are known to reprimand attorneys who miss deadlines and even sanction them.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
27 June 2025
Verb
-
Miles, the Manual student, noted how when she and her fellow bus riders were called down to the office to receive information on the return of transportation, almost all of them were Black.—
Grace Fridy,
The Courier-Journal,
2 July 2025
-
Upper apartments, though, were built without kitchens, since their owners might as well call down for room service.—
Adriane Quinlan,
Curbed,
19 May 2025
Verb
-
Speaking to reporters Wednesday, Trump doubled down on his past criticism and blamed Biden for Powell remaining in the role.—
Zachary Folk,
Forbes.com,
16 July 2025
-
The current president, Abdel Fatah al-Sisi, declared the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist group, blamed it for unrest in the country and imprisoned many of its leaders.—
Victoria Moorwood,
The Enquirer,
15 July 2025
Verb
-
Instances when the coach chewed out the quarterback for being late on a throw.—
Brad Biggs,
Chicago Tribune,
8 June 2025
-
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
Verb
-
Many airlines have long relied on aging computer systems, and the aviation industry has been criticized for failing to modernize swiftly.—
Chad de Guzman,
Time,
22 July 2025
-
Even Bennington's family, namely mother Susan Eubanks and son Jaime Bennington, criticized the lineup change.—
Edward Segarra,
USA Today,
21 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dress down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dress%20down. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share