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
Julia Morlino, Travel + Leisure, 11 June 2026
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.
—Jordan Julian, InStyle, 22 May 2026
Think of ranch water as a dressed down margarita that's hard to mess up.
—Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 27 Apr. 2026
Rattan, jute, sisal, wood, seagrass, and more are all great options for an organic feel that can be both dressed up or dressed down.
—Halee Miller Van Ryswyk, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Apr. 2026
These beautiful styles will take you from day to night, dressed up or dressed down.
—Tory Johnson, ABC News, 23 Mar. 2026
If someone is dressed up in a space that is dressed down, for instance, there’s humor to it.
—Luke Leitch, Vogue, 7 Mar. 2026
Verb
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.
—Julia Morlino, Travel + Leisure, 11 June 2026
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.
—Jordan Julian, InStyle, 22 May 2026
Think of ranch water as a dressed down margarita that's hard to mess up.
—Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 27 Apr. 2026
Rattan, jute, sisal, wood, seagrass, and more are all great options for an organic feel that can be both dressed up or dressed down.
—Halee Miller Van Ryswyk, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Apr. 2026
These beautiful styles will take you from day to night, dressed up or dressed down.
—Tory Johnson, ABC News, 23 Mar. 2026
If someone is dressed up in a space that is dressed down, for instance, there’s humor to it.
—Luke Leitch, Vogue, 7 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dressed down
Adjective
-
The largely informal opposition had consisted mainly of local cities that warned another sales tax would disproportionately burden the poorest residents and force shoppers across the county border in hopes of finding lower costs.—
Rebecca Ellis,
Los Angeles Times,
10 June 2026
-
An informal settlement is a residential area where housing units have been constructed without official rights to the land.—
Gabrielle Rockson,
PEOPLE,
10 June 2026
Verb
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Four years ago, Infantino scolded critics during a news conference ahead of the opener in Qatar.—
Carlos Rodriguez,
Chicago Tribune,
10 June 2026
-
The child, now 6 years old, only hears her full name when she's being scolded — though Kendra and Bill are currently trying to undo that pattern.—
Rachel Raposas,
PEOPLE,
27 May 2026
Adjective
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Launched within JioHotstar with more than 100 original titles, Tadka features vertical, episodic stories ranging from 30 to 60 seconds, designed for mobile-first consumption with narratives rooted in everyday emotions, relationships and contemporary Indian culture.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
11 June 2026
-
Balance transfer fee Greater of 5% or $5 The earnings on both of these cards can be increased by exchanging $200 in Bilt Cash for a 1X Point Accelerator on everyday spend for the next $5,000 in purchases following activation (activate up to five times per year for a total of 25,000 bonus points).—
Jason Stauffer,
CNBC,
10 June 2026
Verb
-
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.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 June 2026
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For years, states such as New York and California have been run by politicians who seem to believe prosperity is permanent — an endless resource to be taxed a little more, regulated a little harder and lectured a little longer.—
Larry Clifton,
Sun Sentinel,
28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Pasjoli is his more casual French neighborhood bistro.—
Stephanie Breijo,
Los Angeles Times,
16 June 2026
-
This is popular among locals for the casual and laid back atmosphere.—
Ella Gonzales,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
15 June 2026
Verb
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Disgusting — yet he was not reprimanded by fellow commissioners.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
10 June 2026
-
Behind closed doors, ProPublica revealed, the majority-Republican state Supreme Court quashed the commission’s recommendations that two Republican judges who’d admitted to committing egregious conduct violations be publicly reprimanded.—
Doug Bock Clark,
ProPublica,
5 June 2026
Verb
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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
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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
Verb
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An Israeli source told CNN that Netanyahu has also privately blamed Kushner and Witkoff for creating a wedge between the two leaders.—
Tal Shalev,
CNN Money,
15 June 2026
-
Amid mounting public criticism, the White House took down the video and blamed an unnamed aide.—
Alexandra Del Rosario,
Los Angeles Times,
15 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dressed down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dressed%20down. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
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