as in scolding
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as in lecturing
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 dressing-down
Jessica Lipsky,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Mar. 2026
This change comes after Grok received a dressing-down from users and international officials for complying with requests to digitally undress women and underage girls or create sexualized deep fakes of them without their consent.
—
Jennifer Zhan,
Vulture,
9 Jan. 2026
That spectacle was followed by a very public dressing-down of Zelensky by Trump and Vance in the Oval Office.
—
Nathan Hodge,
CNN Money,
31 Dec. 2025
Earlier this year, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky sat in the Oval Office and endured a brutal dressing-down.
—
Tom Nagorski,
Time,
16 Oct. 2025
Staying Grounded Under Fire: How to Lead with Emotional Resilience
One client faced a public dressing-down from his boss during a project meeting.
—
Naz Beheshti,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
Nothing, perhaps, has grated more than last month’s Oval Office dressing-down of South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.
—
Ned Temko,
Christian Science Monitor,
12 June 2025
Nine goals, a 30-minute hat-trick, an unlikely comeback, a last-gasp winner, comedic errors and a dressing-down on the pitch at full-time, all played out in teeming rain in Lisbon, made this a night to remember.
—
Tim Spiers,
The Athletic,
21 Jan. 2025
Nadeen Ebrahim,
CNN Money,
12 June 2026
The Southern California congresswoman was known for driving a minivan and dressing down CEOs with a white board exposing their financial excesses.
—
Paul Rogers,
Mercury News,
2 June 2026
Mullin pulled no punches in dressing down Democrats for the delay.
—
Nicole Sganga,
CBS News,
7 Apr. 2026
During her six-year tenure, Porter often went viral for wielding a whiteboard to emphasize her points while dressing down corporate executives in congressional hearings.
—
Lia Russell
february 19,
Sacbee.com,
19 Feb. 2026
The point of dressing down is to show solidarity with those fighting NF, which impacts 1 in every 2,500 people.
—
Rashad Alexander,
Kansas City Star,
14 Feb. 2026
The cozy piece marked an ideal autumnal staple, with a multifaceted design for dressing up or dressing down, depending on the occasion.
—
Julia Teti,
Footwear News,
31 Oct. 2025
The timeless look is versatile enough for dressing down with a pair of jeans and a sweater or elevating with a maxi dress and some gold jewelry.
—
Nneya Richards,
Travel + Leisure,
1 Oct. 2025
For the first stretch of Erupcja, Charli almost dissolves into the screen, not like an outsize personality who’s dressing down for a part, but like someone who isn’t able to repurpose her considerable ability to hold our attention — or to give us any sense of what’s on her character’s mind.
—
Alison Willmore,
Vulture,
5 Sep. 2025
Noun
And while this dressing-down of beloved works might seem like another bummer in a world of doomscrolling, @heartthrobanderson is anything but.
—
Jessica Lipsky,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Mar. 2026
This change comes after Grok received a dressing-down from users and international officials for complying with requests to digitally undress women and underage girls or create sexualized deep fakes of them without their consent.
—
Jennifer Zhan,
Vulture,
9 Jan. 2026
That spectacle was followed by a very public dressing-down of Zelensky by Trump and Vance in the Oval Office.
—
Nathan Hodge,
CNN Money,
31 Dec. 2025
Earlier this year, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky sat in the Oval Office and endured a brutal dressing-down.
—
Tom Nagorski,
Time,
16 Oct. 2025
Staying Grounded Under Fire: How to Lead with Emotional Resilience
One client faced a public dressing-down from his boss during a project meeting.
—
Naz Beheshti,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
Nothing, perhaps, has grated more than last month’s Oval Office dressing-down of South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.
—
Ned Temko,
Christian Science Monitor,
12 June 2025
Nine goals, a 30-minute hat-trick, an unlikely comeback, a last-gasp winner, comedic errors and a dressing-down on the pitch at full-time, all played out in teeming rain in Lisbon, made this a night to remember.
—
Tim Spiers,
The Athletic,
21 Jan. 2025
Verb
Hardline politicians slammed the president’s unorthodox choice of attire and activists accused him of double standards, where under Iran’s strict dress codes, ordinary people would be barred from dressing down.
—
Nadeen Ebrahim,
CNN Money,
12 June 2026
The Southern California congresswoman was known for driving a minivan and dressing down CEOs with a white board exposing their financial excesses.
—
Paul Rogers,
Mercury News,
2 June 2026
Mullin pulled no punches in dressing down Democrats for the delay.
—
Nicole Sganga,
CBS News,
7 Apr. 2026
During her six-year tenure, Porter often went viral for wielding a whiteboard to emphasize her points while dressing down corporate executives in congressional hearings.
—
Lia Russell
february 19,
Sacbee.com,
19 Feb. 2026
The point of dressing down is to show solidarity with those fighting NF, which impacts 1 in every 2,500 people.
—
Rashad Alexander,
Kansas City Star,
14 Feb. 2026
The cozy piece marked an ideal autumnal staple, with a multifaceted design for dressing up or dressing down, depending on the occasion.
—
Julia Teti,
Footwear News,
31 Oct. 2025
The timeless look is versatile enough for dressing down with a pair of jeans and a sweater or elevating with a maxi dress and some gold jewelry.
—
Nneya Richards,
Travel + Leisure,
1 Oct. 2025
For the first stretch of Erupcja, Charli almost dissolves into the screen, not like an outsize personality who’s dressing down for a part, but like someone who isn’t able to repurpose her considerable ability to hold our attention — or to give us any sense of what’s on her character’s mind.
—
Alison Willmore,
Vulture,
5 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dressing-down
Noun
-
The scolding was met with more meows and barks.
-
The scolding is surprising since the FCC usually doesn’t comment on pending satellite applications.
Verb
-
College professors spend less time lecturing than a typical sportswriter creating fake controversies to criticize.
-
If and until that day comes, there will be fingerpointing, lecturing and posturing, all of which has flowed freely in the wake of the Sorsby decision.
Noun
-
In January 2025, a federal judge ruled that portion of the ordinance overburdens free speech rights by prohibiting anyone from providing any lecture in any San Diego public park or beach.
-
And now today, Indiana head coach Stephanie White opens up her presser with a lecture on how America is racist and homophobic.
Verb
-
Earlier this week, Scott Agness claimed his press credentials were revoked by the team after his reporting led to the WNBA reprimanding the Fever for not being transparent about Clark’s health status during a game on May 20.
-
If something’s not done as far as reprimanding, what will that do to him as a student?
Noun
-
According to historian, author and lecturer Roger Smith, Florida's absence from most Revolutionary War lessons stems from one key fact.
-
Ida Fisher Junior High in Miami Beach held a mock Ford-Carter presidential election with a ballot box in its recess courtyard to teach its students civics lessons.
Verb
-
It should be noted that this is not about blaming medication or the people who rely on it.
-
The victim's mother also addressed the jury, blaming Rullan for her son's depression and anxiety and describing the emotional toll the abuse had taken on their family.
Noun
-
This is a really good writer-talking-to-another-writer question.
-
Never underestimate the combined powers of a Liv Benson talking-to and a New York slice.
Verb
-
Several had a history of criticizing vaccine recommendations or questioning their safety.
-
From Lebanon, Ghosn seized the moment, criticizing current leadership and offering himself as a solution.
Cite this Entry
“Dressing-down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dressing-down. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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