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
Related Words
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
-
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
-
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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Central Florida Stamp Club: Meetings include auctions and informative lectures.—
Joe Rassel,
The Orlando Sentinel,
6 Aug. 2025
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Stamets, always a crowd favorite, will also offer a keynote lecture on how psilocybin mushrooms can save the world.—
Tiney Ricciardi,
Denver Post,
6 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Similar to linebacker, the Bears’ moves up front this offseason make addressing safety a possibility in the draft.—
Kevin Fishbain,
The Athletic,
25 Mar. 2025
-
Toxic positivity often prevents teams from fully addressing difficult problems.—
Vibhas Ratanjee,
Forbes,
25 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
But those lessons created the best developer tooling, auditing practices, and frameworks in the space.—
Lawrence Wintermeyer,
Forbes.com,
7 Aug. 2025
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The great thing is the lessons aren't just for the kids.—
DeVonne Goode,
Parents,
6 Aug. 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
-
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
Noun
-
In addition to a 25% tariff set to go into effect Thursday, Trump also announced a 25% tariff on India that will go into effect later this month as punishment for importing Russian oil and gas.—
Kevin Liptak,
CNN Money,
7 Aug. 2025
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Even many diehard Trump supporters grimaced, fearful of punishment at the polls.—
Eric Cortellessa,
Time,
7 Aug. 2025
Noun
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The green hues dragged across her lash line and in her waterline stood out next to her red knit ensemble.—
Kaleigh Werner,
Footwear News,
6 Aug. 2025
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And, for something even softer, Kash Doll showed us how to keep beauty natural with a glossy lip, sleek eyeliner, and signature lashes.—
Larry Stansbury,
Essence,
4 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
MacManus initially embraced her mother’s admonition that education was the way to get ahead and didn’t make a career out of Cielito Lindo.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
8 July 2025
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Even with the other guys' admonitions not to, under any circumstances, be themselves, Dee and Charlie's improbable success in charming these scions of the Philly upper crust had the guys — and us — both baffled and anxiously awaiting an ugly twist.—
Dennis Perkins,
EW.com,
10 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Talking-to.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/talking-to. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.
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