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
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as in scolding
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Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of talking-to
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
Verb
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
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The scolding came after Combs seemingly nodded at jurors during Bongolan’s testimony about the balcony incident.—
Jessica Schladebeck,
New York Daily News,
7 June 2025
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Neither his pressure on the Ukrainian leader, who Trump lambasted in the Oval Office, nor his recent scolding of the Kremlin ruler appear to have pushed the two sides any closer to a peace deal.—
Matthew Chance,
CNN Money,
2 June 2025
Noun
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At an early lecture of Alaoui’s, one silent member of the audience seems unusually intent on his words.—
Jessica Kiang,
Variety,
4 Sep. 2025
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Each lecture in the series is free for Birch Aquarium members and $12 for non-members.—
Noah Lyons,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
1 Sep. 2025
Verb
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For good measure, Burroughs also engaged with Barrett’s explanation that addressing both backward- and forward-looking claims would have required two separate court orders.—
Noah Feldman,
Twin Cities,
7 Sep. 2025
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Law enforcement officials are addressing mounting concerns after a series of troubling cases involving criminals impersonating police officers have surfaced, raising alarms about public safety and trust in genuine authority.—
Stepheny Price,
FOXNews.com,
7 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
There was a level of anticipation at the start of Wolves’ summer, thanks to an influx of transfer cash and some signals that Fosun, the club’s owners, had learned lessons from previous windows.—
Steve Madeley,
New York Times,
2 Sep. 2025
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Benefits include access to advance booking on courts, no booking fees for padel, $1,000 worth of merchandise, discounts on lessons, clinics, tournaments and leagues.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
2 Sep. 2025
Noun
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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
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Donald Trump’s dressing-down of Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House was a lightning strike to the transatlantic alliance, dispelling lingering illusions in Europe about whether their American cousin will stand with them to counter Russian aggression.—
Christian Edwards,
CNN Money,
30 Mar. 2025
Noun
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That the Sky’s punishment will last longer than five minutes is merely a reflection of their place in the standings.—
Sabreena Merchant,
New York Times,
6 Sep. 2025
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Inter Miami players Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets and Tomas Aviles, and Seattle Sounders staff member Steven Lenhart, received multiple game suspensions from the 2026 Leagues Cup as punishment for their behavior during a post-game brawl following Sunday’s Leagues Cup final.—
Michelle Kaufman,
Miami Herald,
5 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The Longs lived by a perplexing tangle of unspoken rules anchored by the admonishment to never invite the neighbors over.—
Kristen Kidd,
Denver Post,
30 Aug. 2025
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In sharing the perspective of his office, Los Angeles County Deputy District Attorney Habib Balian fixated on disputing the brothers’ motive, despite several admonishments from the parole board against re-litigating the crime.—
Matthew J. Friedman,
CNN Money,
22 Aug. 2025
Noun
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My top makeup tip right now would be to come away from lashes that are so heavy.—
Akili King,
Essence,
27 Aug. 2025
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The formula uses beeswax and black tea to give you genuinely smudge-free lashes for up to 12 hours, which is particularly welcome during Europe’s sticky summer days.—
Angela Lei,
Forbes.com,
22 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Talking-to.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/talking-to. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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