told off

verb

past tense of tell off
as in cut up

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for told off
  1. cut up
  2. dressed down
  3. ragged
  4. chewed out
  5. scolded
  6. upbraided
  7. berated
  8. punished
Verb
  • Rifkin also open a bag containing Machado’s black bra and purple T-shirt, both of which were cut up by scissors.
    — Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Duke Energy crews are working to cut up the tree and replace the pole, officials said.
    — Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of cut up
Verb
  • Spungen’s book houses over 80 cookie recipes, all glitzed, glammed, or perfectly dressed down.
    — The Bon Appétit, Bon Appetit Magazine, 8 Sep. 2026
  • The polished cut of the NYDJ Teresa Trouser Jeans is a deal sealer—they can be dressed down with a hoodie for a fire-pit-friendly outfit, or just as easily styled for a casual but put-together dinner.
    — Annie Blackman, InStyle, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of dressed down
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
Definition of ragged
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
Definition of chewed out
Verb
  • Eventually, all charges were dropped days before trial after Perry was finally given the full, unredacted grand jury transcripts and scolded prosecutors for violating the inherent trust placed in the office.
    — Jason Meisner, Chicago Tribune, 1 Oct. 2026
  • In 2024, a judge scolded both sides for excessive litigation and ruled for the trust to be dissolved and for the house to be sold.
    — Hayley Cuccinello, CNBC, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of scolded
Verb
  • That said, at one point Eleanor captures Sofia giving Dunst a note about the scene where Marie Antoinette is upbraided by her ambassador (played by Steve Coogan) for paying more attention to sleeve lengths than a looming diplomatic crisis.
    — Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 6 Sep. 2026
  • One upbraided Tufty for this comment.
    — Eric Adler June 4, Kansas City Star, 4 June 2026
Definition of upbraided
Verb
  • In June, the Senate approved a war powers resolution after four GOP senators joined Democrats, but Republicans abruptly reversed course the next day after Trump berated them during a private lunch over the outcome.
    — Lisa Mascaro, Los Angeles Times, 24 Sep. 2026
  • The Senate on its 10th try also approved a war powers resolution to end the conflict, but GOP senators quickly reversed course the next day after Trump berated them during a closed-door lunch.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of berated
Verb
  • Owners have been previously punished for violating the personal conduct policy.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Meanwhile, in England and the United States and across continental Europe, statutes that punished idleness sharpened into vagrancy laws that gave police discretionary power to identify when a form of nonaction constituted criminal disorder.
    — Sophie Landres, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of punished
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.

Browse Nearby Words

told (of)
told off
told (on)
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Cite this Entry

“Told off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/told%20off. Accessed 5 Oct. 2026.

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