as in to rail (at or against)
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Recent Examples of tell off
Lombardi had voiced her concerns about the impact of the Blue Angels flying over Seattle in 2023, telling off the squadron in an expletive-laden tirade.
—
Janhvi Bhojwani, NBC news, 24 July 2025
Season three will include toxic men (pretends to be shocked!), Marciano’s story being questioned (clutching my pearls!), and Taylor telling off her mom (wait, actually, yes, please).
—Olivia Crandall, Vulture, 1 July 2025
Rivera’s sharp sense of style, hanging out and making plans, eating sticky rice and ketchup, telling off old boyfriends and listening to music.
—Caroline Kubzansky, Chicago Tribune, 25 June 2025
Moo's hilarious response to being told off is a textbook example of this temperament.
—Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 June 2025
Maybe Simón was a malcontent who told off manager Clayton McCullough.
—Dan Freedman, Forbes.com, 4 June 2025
Stephen King made a surprise return to X on Feb. 20 to tell off President Trump and Elon Musk, the latter of which owns the social media platform.
—Zack Sharf, Variety, 21 Feb. 2025
Deliverance is a game about being told off for sleeping in other people's beds.
—David Faris, Newsweek, 3 Feb. 2025
Janhvi Bhojwani, NBC news, 24 July 2025
Season three will include toxic men (pretends to be shocked!), Marciano’s story being questioned (clutching my pearls!), and Taylor telling off her mom (wait, actually, yes, please).
—Olivia Crandall, Vulture, 1 July 2025
Rivera’s sharp sense of style, hanging out and making plans, eating sticky rice and ketchup, telling off old boyfriends and listening to music.
—Caroline Kubzansky, Chicago Tribune, 25 June 2025
Moo's hilarious response to being told off is a textbook example of this temperament.
—Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 June 2025
Maybe Simón was a malcontent who told off manager Clayton McCullough.
—Dan Freedman, Forbes.com, 4 June 2025
Stephen King made a surprise return to X on Feb. 20 to tell off President Trump and Elon Musk, the latter of which owns the social media platform.
—Zack Sharf, Variety, 21 Feb. 2025
Deliverance is a game about being told off for sleeping in other people's beds.
—David Faris, Newsweek, 3 Feb. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tell off
Verb
-
Instead of dwelling in doubt, cut up paper and throw it around.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
20 May 2026
-
Firefighting crews worked Monday to cool residual heat and prevent hot spots from causing reignition, using chainsaws to fell and cut up hazardous trees, inspecting each section for heat and using hoses to extinguish any remaining embers.—
Forum News Service,
Twin Cities,
20 May 2026
Verb
-
As my mother bawled out her lungs, the doctor and the nurses remained speechless, stunned not only by my disproportionate weight but also by my appearance: a Chinese Buddha whose eyes were unmoving, untrusting.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Trippier and Burn are organisers and not afraid to bawl out their team-mates.—
George Caulkin,
New York Times,
24 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
True freshman receiver Hayden Moore from has been an early surprise challenger for first-team reps in spring ball, but the Gainesville, Fla., native, who just left high school, was chewed out and then subbed off for messing up early in Tuesday’s practice.—
Andy Greder,
Twin Cities,
15 Apr. 2026
-
Instead of the standard chewing out, the senior played a clip of his freshman defensive back counterpart recognizing a screen, shedding a block and securing the first solo tackle of his career against No. 5 Georgia last week.—
Noah White,
Miami Herald,
10 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
The city in the book is a strange hodgepodge of affluence and poverty, of shiny new shops and ragged old ruins.—
Becca Rothfeld,
New Yorker,
27 Apr. 2026
-
If the edges look ragged with tan or white tips, your mower blade is at fault.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Now, with rates above 5% on home equity products and above 20% on revolving credit card balances, the carrying cost of that debt has become punishing.—
Jason Kirsch,
Forbes.com,
20 May 2026
-
The guilty will be punished in proportion to their offences by the Aunts here on earth and then go on to burn in hell for the rest of eternity, God willing.—
Amanda Whiting,
Vulture,
20 May 2026
Verb
-
Publicly, Ingoglia has become known for barnstorming the state to hold choreographed press conferences scolding cities and counties for wasteful spending.—
Jeffrey Schweers,
The Orlando Sentinel,
22 May 2026
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Messi seemed to scold La Familia at one point with a finger wag aimed in their direction, showing his displeasure with their protest.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
18 May 2026
Verb
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After the game that featured five technical fouls and thee ejections, players from both teams jawed back and forth near midcourt.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Want to cover your mouth while jawing with an opponent?—
Matt Reigle OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The cruel cartoon of a constantly shrewish, venal, and disloyal Mary began cementing itself in the public mind when William Herndon, Lincoln’s Springfield law partner, started lecturing about his reminiscences within months of the President’s murder.—
Thomas Mallon,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
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Also, don’t lecture your teens and don’t expect constant gratitude.—
Judy Koutsky,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tell off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tell%20off. Accessed 24 May. 2026.
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