as in scolded
to criticize (someone) severely or angrily especially for personal failings
dressed down for boorish behavior at the dance
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dressed down
Isabel Bekele, InStyle, 9 Feb. 2026
Rih dressed down the whimsy, in a white tee, jeans, and a fuzzyz white scarf.
—Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 28 Jan. 2026
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
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
The shoe comes in two colors, each of which look great dressed up or dressed down, and will only get better with each wear.
—Will Porter, Outside, 9 Dec. 2025
Even dressed down in a minimalist white button-down blouse, vintage Levi’s and pearl earrings, Scherzinger exudes the kind of glamour visible from outer space.
—Tatiana Siegel, Variety, 28 Oct. 2025
Even now, as a bonafide fashion success, with the Victoria Beckham label undergoing four years of consistent growth resulting in over £100 million in annual sales, she’s mostly dressed down in quiet luxury hoodies in the documentary.
—Scarlett Harris, Time, 9 Oct. 2025
Verb
Though the shoes are certainly office-friendly, they could easily be dressed down with a pair of jeans and a flowy blouse for more casual occasions.
—Isabel Bekele, InStyle, 9 Feb. 2026
Rih dressed down the whimsy, in a white tee, jeans, and a fuzzyz white scarf.
—Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 28 Jan. 2026
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
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
The shoe comes in two colors, each of which look great dressed up or dressed down, and will only get better with each wear.
—Will Porter, Outside, 9 Dec. 2025
Even dressed down in a minimalist white button-down blouse, vintage Levi’s and pearl earrings, Scherzinger exudes the kind of glamour visible from outer space.
—Tatiana Siegel, Variety, 28 Oct. 2025
Even now, as a bonafide fashion success, with the Victoria Beckham label undergoing four years of consistent growth resulting in over £100 million in annual sales, she’s mostly dressed down in quiet luxury hoodies in the documentary.
—Scarlett Harris, Time, 9 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dressed down
Adjective
-
The massive spread includes several formal and informal gathering spaces, with the gleaming chef’s kitchen serving as the heart of the home.—
Tori Latham,
Robb Report,
4 Mar. 2026
-
National Snack Day was established in 2016 by Jace Shoemaker-Galloway, who has invented more than two-dozen informal holidays, Days of the Year said.—
Don Sweeney,
Sacbee.com,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
In Zambrano’s case, Gee scolded the government over how the detention unfolded.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
24 Feb. 2026
-
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
Adjective
-
Sleek enough for everyday use, but also, let’s face it, a flex.—
Julissa James,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Mar. 2026
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And iconic baker and bestselling cookbook author Cheryl Day—a biscuit guru who made them everyday for 22 years in her bakery—stops by the clubhouse.—
Emily Elias,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Vance’s speech got a cool reception from European leaders who said they felt lectured.—
Jared Gans,
The Hill,
18 Feb. 2026
-
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
Adjective
-
All sorts of messages, formal or casual, are more meaningful during the Full Moon Lunar Eclipse in your conversation zone.—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
3 Mar. 2026
-
In a 2010 study, for example, the disparity held in both casual and familiar encounters, with ten per cent of women reaching orgasm versus thirty-one per cent of men in a first-time hookup, and sixty-eight per cent versus eighty-five per cent with a familiar partner.—
Margaret Talbot,
New Yorker,
2 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Former Circuit Judge Gary Farmer resigned last August after being suspended indefinitely and former County Judge Marti Levey Cohen, elected three times by voters, resigned in December after she was suspended and reprimanded.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
4 Mar. 2026
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According to The Associated Press, LaBeouf was reprimanded for allegedly yelling homophobic slurs while hitting multiple people near the French Quarter last week.—
Emily Trainham,
FOXNews.com,
28 Feb. 2026
Verb
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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
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Scott said, when he was called down to the lobby, James threatened his family.—
Jermont Terry,
CBS News,
5 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
The executive, Deputy Chief Financial Officer Janine Lim, blamed the delay, in part, on staff resignations and plummeting morale amid uncertainty over the agency’s future.—
Andrew Khouri,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Mar. 2026
-
In the hearing, which stretched nearly five hours, Noem defended her agency’s treatment of immigrants caught up in enforcement activities, and blamed activists and others for attacks against officers.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
3 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dressed down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dressed%20down. Accessed 9 Mar. 2026.
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