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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Recent Examples of dress down
The handy bag goes with just about any outfit and can be dressed down for dog walks or dressed up for dinner out on the town.
—
Mariana Best, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Jan. 2026
These pull-on style pants can easily be dressed down with a T-shirt to wear casually, or with a nice blouse or dress shirt and be boardroom-ready.
—Caroline Hughes, Travel + Leisure, 7 Jan. 2026
Around the same time, Oscar de la Renta sent floor-skimming shirt dresses down the runway, while Stephen Burrows gave sequins a sporty edge in wrap-styles blouses and dresses – perfect for transitioning from work to cocktail parties in the era.
—Tonya Blazio-Licorish, Footwear News, 19 Dec. 2025
While Haim dressed down her look with a low-key ponytail and barely-there makeup, Swift stuck to her usual glam with cat-eye liner and signature red lip.
—Kathleen Walsh, Glamour, 10 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dress down
Mariana Best, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Jan. 2026
These pull-on style pants can easily be dressed down with a T-shirt to wear casually, or with a nice blouse or dress shirt and be boardroom-ready.
—Caroline Hughes, Travel + Leisure, 7 Jan. 2026
Around the same time, Oscar de la Renta sent floor-skimming shirt dresses down the runway, while Stephen Burrows gave sequins a sporty edge in wrap-styles blouses and dresses – perfect for transitioning from work to cocktail parties in the era.
—Tonya Blazio-Licorish, Footwear News, 19 Dec. 2025
While Haim dressed down her look with a low-key ponytail and barely-there makeup, Swift stuck to her usual glam with cat-eye liner and signature red lip.
—Kathleen Walsh, Glamour, 10 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dress down
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dress down
Verb
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Porter was initially viewed as having a potential edge in the race, but her prospects dimmed after videos emerged in October of the UC Irvine law professor scolding a reporter and swearing at an aide.—
Seema Mehta,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Feb. 2026
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He is being groomed, playing, testing boundaries and even being scolded which are all part of normal social learning for young macaques.—
Jasmine Baehr,
FOXNews.com,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Some of us have guest lectured in his law school class on the Arkansas Constitution, and his passion for our state's rich heritage is evident.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
16 Feb. 2026
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Katie da Cunha Lewin is a writer based in London, currently lecturing in 20th and 21st-century literature at Coventry University.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Several told the Herald they were reprimanded for speaking to the media to promote the cultural events being hosted by the center.—
Raisa Habersham,
Miami Herald,
6 Feb. 2026
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Following the meeting, Green was reprimanded by a captain for failing to review the video with the officers.—
Ben Wheeler,
Kansas City Star,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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For fixes other tenants would normally make themselves, like changing a lightbulb, Ruby would call down June’s husband to act as a handyman.—
Adriane Quinlan,
Curbed,
22 Jan. 2026
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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
Verb
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There will be lawyers and billable hours, and blame tossed around.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
17 Feb. 2026
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Alongside Palasciano, speakers assailed the influx of Indian Americans, from accusing them of snatching the American Dream to criticizing their driving skills and even blaming them for traffic.—
Sarah Bahari,
Dallas Morning News,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Instead of the standard chewing out, the senior played a clip of his freshman defensive back counterpart recognizing a screen, shedding a block and securing the first solo tackle of his career against No. 5 Georgia last week.—
Noah White,
Miami Herald,
10 Nov. 2025
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Being chewed out was nothing new, part of life as a football player.—
Nick Kosmider,
New York Times,
8 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Since last fall, the Media Research Center, a right-wing organization that criticizes legacy media outlets, has turned its attention on Apple News’ story selection.—
semafor.com,
semafor.com,
16 Feb. 2026
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While the vote was unanimous, Trustee Jamela Smith-Folds criticized the majority of her colleagues who approved new contracts with two of the district’s labor groups, United Teachers of Richmond and Teamsters Local 856, the union representing custodial staff, cafeteria workers and others.—
Sierra Lopez,
Mercury News,
15 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Women stopped to bawl out the police, who accepted this dressing-down with quiet embarrassment.—
National Geographic,
National Geographic,
11 Aug. 2020
Cite this Entry
“Dress down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dress%20down. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.
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