as in scolding
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as in speaking (to or with)
to communicate with by means of spoken words
I had never talked to a real live cowboy before
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of talking-to
Adrienne Lafrance, The Atlantic, 22 Jan. 2026
Never underestimate the combined powers of a Liv Benson talking-to and a New York slice.
—Kimberly Roots, TVLine, 16 Jan. 2025
Roberts pulled the reliever in, gave him what seemed like a fatherly talking-to, and – after Ramirez got out of the inning with the very next pitch – noted that sometimes the best course is not to yell and scream at a player.
—Mirjam Swanson, Orange County Register, 30 May 2024
Noun
This is a really good writer-talking-to-another-writer question.
—Adrienne Lafrance, The Atlantic, 22 Jan. 2026
Never underestimate the combined powers of a Liv Benson talking-to and a New York slice.
—Kimberly Roots, TVLine, 16 Jan. 2025
Roberts pulled the reliever in, gave him what seemed like a fatherly talking-to, and – after Ramirez got out of the inning with the very next pitch – noted that sometimes the best course is not to yell and scream at a player.
—Mirjam Swanson, Orange County Register, 30 May 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for talking-to
Noun
-
The scolding was met with more meows and barks.—
Clara McMichael,
ABC News,
15 Apr. 2026
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The scolding is surprising since the FCC usually doesn’t comment on pending satellite applications.—
Michael Kan,
PC Magazine,
11 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Ahead of the United States’ 250th anniversary this year, her lecture will touch on the themes and significance of the People’s Bicentennial Quilt.—
Nollyanne Delacruz,
Mercury News,
14 Apr. 2026
-
The latest bots have massive context windows, meaning that students can feed in mountains of course content such as syllabi, lecture slides, and practice exams.—
Lila Shroff,
The Atlantic,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
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McMahon had a career’s worth of lessons in the virtues of bombast, and also in the dangers of it.—
Zach Helfand,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
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And through all of her time spent in France over the years, she’s picked up a lesson that helps make her frequent travel a little more streamlined.—
Alexandra Schonfeld,
PEOPLE,
19 Apr. 2026
Verb
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And nothing in your reply seems to recognize that this is a common, patronizingly ageist way of addressing people.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Apr. 2026
-
Europe turned its attention to the Palestinians on Monday as the election defeat of Israel ally Victor Orban in Hungary gives new momentum to efforts addressing Gaza and the occupied West Bank.—
Sam McNeil,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Apr. 2026
Noun
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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
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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
Noun
-
The jury will decide his punishment.—
Amy McDaniel,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
16 Apr. 2026
-
The 49-year-old from Carver, Massachusetts is accused of running a dogfighting operation for years; breeding and training dogs for violence and subjecting the animals to disturbing and cruel conditions and punishment.—
Juli McDonald,
CBS News,
15 Apr. 2026
Noun
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At the time of Lauersdorf’s public admonishment, Fort Worth firefighter Caleb Halvorson had gained widespread attention after Sedgwick declined to cover some aspects of his treatment.—
Matthew Adams,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
16 Mar. 2026
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Layoffs have disproportionately affected their staff and the bimonthly admonishment from the board about their work in recent months has led to a dark mood in the Serna Center.—
Jennah Pendleton,
Sacbee.com,
24 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Customers agree that the curved brush lengthens and volumizes their lashes, while the formula is smudge-, flake-, clump-, and sweat-proof.—
Izzy Baskette,
PEOPLE,
16 Apr. 2026
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The Uncut Gems star kept the '60s theme going with her glam, wearing her dark tresses in a voluminous bouffant and a dramatic cut-crease eyeshadow look featuring wispy lashes.—
Hannah Malach,
InStyle,
8 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Talking-to.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/talking-to. Accessed 22 Apr. 2026.
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