as in to scold
to criticize (someone) severely or angrily especially for personal failings
dressed down for boorish behavior at the dance
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dress down
While some of the girls dressed down in designer clothes, others were donning furs in the club.
—
Alexandra Jane, Essence, 10 Apr. 2025
The two, dressed down in casual layers for a midmorning stroll, were seen holding hands and affectionately embracing one another.
—Glamour, 4 Apr. 2025
Its pleated fabric and modest silhouette give it an elevated look, though it can still be dressed down for daytime wear.
—Genevieve Cepeda, Travel + Leisure, 29 Mar. 2025
Striking that right balance between dressy and dressed down is certainly an art—but luckily there’s a handful of celebrities who’ve recently nailed the look.
—Christian Allaire, Vogue, 21 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dress down
Alexandra Jane, Essence, 10 Apr. 2025
The two, dressed down in casual layers for a midmorning stroll, were seen holding hands and affectionately embracing one another.
—Glamour, 4 Apr. 2025
Its pleated fabric and modest silhouette give it an elevated look, though it can still be dressed down for daytime wear.
—Genevieve Cepeda, Travel + Leisure, 29 Mar. 2025
Striking that right balance between dressy and dressed down is certainly an art—but luckily there’s a handful of celebrities who’ve recently nailed the look.
—Christian Allaire, Vogue, 21 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dress down
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dress down
Verb
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The White House was reprimanded: A federal judge scolded the Trump administration for failing to try to return the man.—
Cate Martel,
The Hill,
16 Apr. 2025
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At the White House, press secretary Karoline Leavitt scolded reporters for not understanding the president’s plans.—
Chris Megerian,
Chicago Tribune,
10 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Quilting group hosts lecture, workshop El Camino Quilt Guild meets at 9:30 a.m. April 8 at El Corazon Senior Center, 3302 Senior Center Drive.—
Linda Mcintosh,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
2 Apr. 2025
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But the club’s members didn’t lecture or advocate until 20 years after its 1876 founding.—
Ron Grossman,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Mickey Rourke was reprimanded on Celebrity Big Brother UK after using a homophobic slur toward fellow housemate JoJo Siwa.—
Armando Tinoco,
Deadline,
9 Apr. 2025
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The mom comes back and then reprimanded me for not supporting her baby’s head.—
Virginia Chamlee,
People.com,
25 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Battling In The Skies The interceptors stand between Ukrainian forces and Russian drones, including reconnaissance drones which call down artillery and rocket fire and attack drones.—
David Hambling,
Forbes.com,
4 Apr. 2025
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Battling In The Skies The interceptors stand between Ukrainian forces and Russian drones, including reconnaissance drones which call down artillery and rocket fire and attack drones.—
David Hambling,
Forbes.com,
4 Apr. 2025
Verb
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They are blamed for a mysterious illness that’s starting to spread – said to be passed through a single gaze, when one man falls in love with another.—
Elsa Keslassy,
Variety,
10 Apr. 2025
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Last month, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said Trump's tariffs were partly to blame for price increases that had taken place in February.—
Max Zahn,
ABC News,
10 Apr. 2025
Verb
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But to chew out his boss--Edwin Stanton, secretary of war--would be more than just getting close to the line of insubordination.—
arkansasonline.com,
arkansasonline.com,
12 Feb. 2025
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Judge is chewing out the parties.—
Michael Gfoeller And David H. Rundell,
Newsweek,
16 Jan. 2025
Verb
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The end of the parole program is part of Trump’s crackdown on legal immigration paths that allow people to temporarily come to the U.S. Republicans also criticized the parole program as an overreach and abuse of executive presidential power.—
Jay Weaver,
Miami Herald,
15 Apr. 2025
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However, the commission's case, which was first filed in 2020, criticized Zuckerberg's media company of accumulating rivals as a way of preventing any competition in the social media industry.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dress down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dress%20down. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.
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