told off

Definition of told offnext
past tense of tell off
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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for told off
Verb
  • The new congressional map in Virginia effectively cuts up the state’s 11 House districts to give Democrats an advantage in 10 of them.
    Joseph Konig, PEOPLE, 22 Apr. 2026
  • The Gates Foundation plans to cut up to 500 jobs, or about 20% of its staff, in the coming years as part of a long-term restructuring, as the foundation also undergoes an external review of its ties to the late financier Jeffrey Epstein.
    Brittany Miller, FOXNews.com, 21 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • It can be easily dressed up for dinner with nice shoes, as well as comfortably dressed down with sandals or sneakers for the pool or exploring the ship.
    Emily Belfiore, Travel + Leisure, 20 Apr. 2026
  • Rattan, jute, sisal, wood, seagrass, and more are all great options for an organic feel that can be both dressed up or dressed down.
    Halee Miller Van Ryswyk, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • On that night in March, to the surprise of nobody, Arsenal ran their mid-table Premier League hosts ragged, beating them 5-1, with Henry and Freddie Ljungberg scoring twice, and Kolo Toure netting the other.
    Dan Sheldon, New York Times, 11 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Being chewed out was nothing new, part of life as a football player.
    Nick Kosmider, New York Times, 8 Oct. 2025
  • About eight or nine hours into a punishing shoot, nerves were fraying, and Mike McGuirk was getting chewed out by a camera operator.
    Katie Kilkenny, HollywoodReporter, 4 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Leon scolded Justice Department attorneys for arguing that the entire project needed to go forward for national security reasons, before previously distinguishing between the bunker below ground and the ballroom above ground.
    Ted Johnson, Deadline, 16 Apr. 2026
  • Government officials scolded young people for the signs of disrespect.
    Justin Spike, Los Angeles Times, 14 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • At a hearing two days after the government dropped its charges against Baraka, the judge upbraided Stephen Demanovich, a federal prosecutor who had been assigned the case.
    Jonathan Blitzer, New Yorker, 19 Jan. 2026
  • During cross-examination, he was upbraided for long answers that did not immediately answer the question he had been asked.
    Greg O'Keeffe, New York Times, 9 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • Before the House Judiciary Committee in February, Bondi berated Democratic lawmakers who asked her questions about the handling of the Epstein files and other matters.
    Ted Johnson, Deadline, 2 Apr. 2026
  • The nod referred to the iconic scene from the original film in which Priestley berated her new assistant Sachs for wearing a cerulean blue sweater without knowing the history behind the item.
    Escher Walcott, PEOPLE, 31 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Delta Upsilon is not the only KU fraternity that has been punished for hazing and other behavior since 2018, the online database shows.
    Matthew Kelly April 23, Kansas City Star, 23 Apr. 2026
  • Defiance bears a cost Merino was once punished for weaving.
    María Teresa Hernández, Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2026
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Cite this Entry

“Told off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/told%20off. Accessed 25 Apr. 2026.

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