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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Recent Examples of dress down
In This Week’s Issue REVERSE-NIXON Might Donald Trump’s public dressing down of Volodymyr Zelensky have been intended to repair relations with Russia and put China on their back foot, Richard Nixon–style?
—
airmail.news, 8 Mar. 2025
The administration has publicly dressed down Ukraine’s leader, Volodymyr Zelensky.
—Michael Brendan Dougherty, National Review, 7 Mar. 2025
In this week’s promo for Saturday Night Live, a bespectacled, dressed down Gaga — who will be both host and musical guest Saturday — sits at a piano in the SNL offices, performing musical improvisations that comment on various cast members passing through.
—Greg Evans, Deadline, 5 Mar. 2025
But the day after Mr. Trump dressed down President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine in an explosive meeting at the White House — the latest show of Mr. Trump’s declining support for Ukraine — some Ukrainian New Yorkers were left feeling divided.
—Mark Bonamo, New York Times, 3 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dress down
airmail.news, 8 Mar. 2025
The administration has publicly dressed down Ukraine’s leader, Volodymyr Zelensky.
—Michael Brendan Dougherty, National Review, 7 Mar. 2025
In this week’s promo for Saturday Night Live, a bespectacled, dressed down Gaga — who will be both host and musical guest Saturday — sits at a piano in the SNL offices, performing musical improvisations that comment on various cast members passing through.
—Greg Evans, Deadline, 5 Mar. 2025
But the day after Mr. Trump dressed down President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine in an explosive meeting at the White House — the latest show of Mr. Trump’s declining support for Ukraine — some Ukrainian New Yorkers were left feeling divided.
—Mark Bonamo, New York Times, 3 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dress down
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dress down
Verb
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Omari Hardwick scolded an interviewer who misquoted him in a seeming attempt to stir up drama between the actor and Power producer 50 Cent.—
Preezy Brown,
VIBE.com,
20 Mar. 2025
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On Wednesday, the couple jokingly addressed the awkward interview in which Hilaria scolded Alec for interrupting her during a red carpet moment that has since gone viral.—
Christina Dugan Ramirez,
Fox News,
20 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Vance, who lectures U.S. allies about how to run their affairs, reminds us of every rich guy from suburban Pittsburgh who visits the Amalfi Coast in the summer, drives up the pedestrianized streets, and then complains that the pasta is too chewy and there’s no AC in his 15th-century villa.—
Helen Lewis,
The Atlantic,
16 Mar. 2025
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Obama himself had to lecture black men testily about the need to turn out for Harris, suggesting their reluctance was due to sexism, but Biden’s numbers with this demographic were worse.—
W. James Antle III,
Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government,
14 Mar. 2025
Verb
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The controversy is intensifying, with U.S. Chief Justice John Roberts having now publicly reprimanded the president after a social media post in which Trump called for the impeachment of Chief Judge James Boasberg of the U.S. District Court for Washington, D.C. — the ...—
Andrew C. McCarthy,
National Review,
19 Mar. 2025
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At the time, the House of Representatives, with the Democrats holding the majority, voted to reprimand Wilson, who later issued an apology to Obama.—
Bill Hutchinson,
ABC News,
5 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Four security guards were called down, and the employee ultimately left.—
Julia Shapero,
The Hill,
10 Mar. 2025
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Trail Cams Go To War Trail Cams could be used like the sensors in Igloo White, to call down attacks on logistics vehicles by FPV drones.—
David Hambling,
Forbes,
21 Jan. 2025
Verb
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The Palestinian health ministry in Gaza blamed the Israeli military, which denied targeting the compound.—
Nabih Bulos,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Mar. 2025
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Asked for comment on Musk’s remarks and proof that immigrants living in the United States without legal status were to blame for the fraud, the White House didn’t offer any.—
Jane C. Timm,
NBC News,
19 Mar. 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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There’s also a story line of Harper being chewed out by Petra when Petra finds out how Harper actually got the information necessary to short Pierpoint, i.e., illegally.—
Nina Li Coomes,
Vulture,
22 Sep. 2024
Verb
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In a 1907 essay, the writer Ito Sakon criticized the idea of escaping the hot urban summer, instead presenting the heat as an opportunity for self-improvement.—
Livia Gershon,
JSTOR Daily,
23 Mar. 2025
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But McGregor faces an uphill task to get his name on the ballot as few Irish lawmakers share his vehement anti-immigrant views, and many publicly criticized him after the civil case last November.—
Jessie Yeung,
CNN,
21 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dress down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dress%20down. Accessed 2 Apr. 2025.
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