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
-
Using unseen footage from Presley’s 1969 to 1976 Las Vegas residency, the movie plays the hits – plus The Beatles and Simon & Garfunkel – but also showcases his sense of humor, quipping with crowds and cutting up with bandmates.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
12 June 2026
-
And so they were cut up into pieces.—
Michael Soncin,
Vanity Fair,
9 June 2026
Verb
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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
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Trippier and Burn are organisers and not afraid to bawl out their team-mates.—
George Caulkin,
New York Times,
24 Feb. 2026
Verb
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It was widely reported that team president Masai Ujiri went into Casey’s office after Game 3 to chew out the coach for not preparing his team better to defend James’ memorable game-winner over OG Anunoby, who is now a Knick.—
Eric Koreen,
New York Times,
27 May 2026
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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
Verb
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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
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Curry granted the young man a preliminary injunction that prevents NCAA brass from punishing Sorsby for violating — again, repeatedly — its rules on sports betting.—
Sean Keeler,
Denver Post,
10 June 2026
-
The United States has placed travel bans on more than 100 Nicaraguan officials and their family members as part of a broader campaign to punish the current government for human rights abuses.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
9 June 2026
Verb
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Princess Charlotte scolded her little brother Prince Louis during Trooping the Colour in 2024.—
Alicia Brunker,
InStyle,
11 June 2026
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Four years ago, Infantino scolded critics during a news conference ahead of the opener in Qatar.—
Carlos Rodriguez,
Chicago Tribune,
10 June 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
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Want to cover your mouth while jawing with an opponent?—
Matt Reigle OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
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In September 1975, Applewhite visited a small town in Oregon to lecture its residents about how and why UFOs were visiting Earth.—
Savannah Walsh,
Vanity Fair,
8 June 2026
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Universities lecture athletes about fiscal responsibility while writing eight-figure checks for coaches not to work.—
Mike Bianchi,
The Orlando Sentinel,
5 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tell off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tell%20off. Accessed 14 Jun. 2026.
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