as in to scold
to criticize (someone) severely or angrily especially for personal failings
I was called down by my supervisor for not catching the accounting error sooner
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples of call down in a Sentence
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Recent Examples on the Web
A number of companies are vying to win the business of apartment community companies interested in providing their residents with amenities that might best be called down to earth.
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Jeffrey Steele, Forbes, 2 Oct. 2024
If the alarm rang outside business hours, someone would need to call down a list of seismologists until someone agreed to come in.
—Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 17 Sep. 2024
Dennis called down to a Detroit police officer on the street.
—Jamie L. Lareau, Detroit Free Press, 26 Apr. 2024
There were other questionable calls down the stretch in that one.
—Howard Fendrich, USA TODAY, 6 Feb. 2024
The last-two minute report from Monday’s 128-125 loss to Charlotte revealed 10 missed calls down the stretch, per the NBA.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 25 Jan. 2024
As the police amassed, a young person of about 20, bundled in warm clothing and locked to an excavator, called down to the crowd.
—Katie Myers, WIRED, 20 Jan. 2024
The complaint says the teen began to cry, and Tyler later called down to the hotel lobby to ask her to come up to his room.
—Rachel Desantis, Peoplemag, 2 Nov. 2023
Boy Meets World's Danielle Fishel Felt Like an 'Object' to 'Creepy' Executive with Her Photos in His Bedroom
Jacobs then proceeded to deliver his notes to everyone else before calling down Fishel's mother from the studio audience to join her at a table on set.
—Esther Kang, Peoplemag, 16 Sep. 2023
Jeffrey Steele, Forbes, 2 Oct. 2024
If the alarm rang outside business hours, someone would need to call down a list of seismologists until someone agreed to come in.
—Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 17 Sep. 2024
Dennis called down to a Detroit police officer on the street.
—Jamie L. Lareau, Detroit Free Press, 26 Apr. 2024
There were other questionable calls down the stretch in that one.
—Howard Fendrich, USA TODAY, 6 Feb. 2024
The last-two minute report from Monday’s 128-125 loss to Charlotte revealed 10 missed calls down the stretch, per the NBA.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 25 Jan. 2024
As the police amassed, a young person of about 20, bundled in warm clothing and locked to an excavator, called down to the crowd.
—Katie Myers, WIRED, 20 Jan. 2024
The complaint says the teen began to cry, and Tyler later called down to the hotel lobby to ask her to come up to his room.
—Rachel Desantis, Peoplemag, 2 Nov. 2023
Boy Meets World's Danielle Fishel Felt Like an 'Object' to 'Creepy' Executive with Her Photos in His Bedroom
Jacobs then proceeded to deliver his notes to everyone else before calling down Fishel's mother from the studio audience to join her at a table on set.
—Esther Kang, Peoplemag, 16 Sep. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for call down
Verb
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Yes, but: The IMF subtly scolds the U.S. and other countries that have implemented industrial policies and tariffs.Courtenay Brown, Axios, 22 Oct. 2024
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Doris scolded me after the party, saying that if the cake had not been available, guests would have eaten the sugar-free options.Judith Martin, The Mercury News, 19 Oct. 2024
Verb
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Though well intentioned, Damian is pompous, consoling Martha while lecturing her on how humankind’s inability to curb its carbon footprint has made global warming unstoppable — and ecological catastrophe unavoidable.Brent Lang, Variety, 23 Oct. 2024
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Because so many celebrities presume to lecture us on behavior and politics, the game’s display of ignorance on both the professional and civilian side is stunning.Armond White, National Review, 16 Oct. 2024
Verb
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Grayson’s Logan County personnel file also shows he had been reprimanded over inaccuracies in his police reports, failure to follow orders from a senior leader and what his superiors had warned could be perceived as a lack of integrity, according to a disciplinary file.Janelle Griffith, NBC News, 30 July 2024
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In 2019, the City Section reprimanded the Gauchos for fielding an ineligible player after investigating the program.Benjamin Royer, Los Angeles Times, 12 Oct. 2024
Verb
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If Harris falls short, blame Democrats and the media on this issue, columnist Jackie Calmes argues.Christian Orozco, Los Angeles Times, 2 Nov. 2024
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In November 1990, the National Transportation Safety Board issued a report blaming the Hamilton County Engineer’s Office for three factors that contributed to the bridge collapse, according to WCPO.Chad Murphy, The Enquirer, 2 Nov. 2024
Verb
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The Los Angeles Police Protective League, which endorsed De León and represents about 8,800 officers, is now airing 30-second attack ads criticizing Jurado.David Zahniser, Los Angeles Times, 24 Oct. 2024
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Later that year, he was blamed — and later sued — for the cancellation of a music festival in Malaysia after criticizing the country’s anti-LGBTQ+ laws before kissing bassist Ross MacDonald.Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 24 Oct. 2024
Verb
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The air of importance extends to the unofficial dress code guests seem to follow—suits aren't uncommon, nor are slacks or blazers, though they may be dressed down over mini skirts or paired with sneakers.Madison Flager, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Aug. 2024
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One of the more memorable moments came in 1988, when Democrat Lloyd Bentsen, Michael Dukakis’ running mate, dressed down Dan Quayle, the GOP nominee running with George H.W. Bush.Dominic Patten, Deadline, 1 Oct. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near call down
Cite this Entry
“Call down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/call%20down. Accessed 8 Nov. 2024.
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