as in scolds
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 dresses down
Scarlett Johansson dresses down in a New York Giants sweatshirt on set for The Exorcist in New York City on March 30.
—
Katie Hill, PEOPLE, 2 Apr. 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
Katie Hill, PEOPLE, 2 Apr. 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dresses down
Verb
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Or tie scolds to the ducking stool again.—
Annie Lowrey,
The Atlantic,
28 Apr. 2026
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McMahon likes to remind scolds that wrestling is a morality play.—
Zach Helfand,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
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When not writing, May frequently lectures on the politics and policies of mass incarceration for university classes, academic conferences, and online events.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
8 Apr. 2026
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With me, my wife lectures me more than my children.—
Raechal Shewfelt,
Entertainment Weekly,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
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His supervisor appears as a ticket conductor and reprimands him for doing nothing.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
15 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The condo association, which took over management of the property in March 2025, blames Riverwalk East Development, LLC.—
Larry Seward,
CBS News,
1 May 2026
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Scott blames his late wife’s parents for her death in April 2024.—
Juliet Pennington,
PEOPLE,
1 May 2026
Verb
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The audit also criticizes the city for not trying to boost compliance by issuing fines.—
David Garrick,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 May 2026
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OpenAI memo criticizes Anthropic watch now Choose CNBC as your preferred source on Google and never miss a moment from the most trusted name in business news.—
Ashley Capoot,
CNBC,
20 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dresses down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dresses%20down. Accessed 11 May. 2026.
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