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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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of dress down
But at the same time, Snyder also thinks that the style is more than capable of being dressed down.
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Eric Twardzik, Robb Report, 30 Oct. 2024
They can be dressed down for yoga or up with work clothes and have a flexible waist with a drawstring.
—Clint Davis, Peoplemag, 9 Sep. 2024
The quilting paired with the corduroy collar and simple button closure makes this an easy jacket to dress up or dress down.
—Carly Totten, Southern Living, 16 Oct. 2024
Meanwhile, their two sons dressed down, with one wearing a blue button-down shirt and black pants and the other opting for a white shirt and blue jeans.
—Raven Brunner, Peoplemag, 17 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for dress down 
Eric Twardzik, Robb Report, 30 Oct. 2024
They can be dressed down for yoga or up with work clothes and have a flexible waist with a drawstring.
—Clint Davis, Peoplemag, 9 Sep. 2024
The quilting paired with the corduroy collar and simple button closure makes this an easy jacket to dress up or dress down.
—Carly Totten, Southern Living, 16 Oct. 2024
Meanwhile, their two sons dressed down, with one wearing a blue button-down shirt and black pants and the other opting for a white shirt and blue jeans.
—Raven Brunner, Peoplemag, 17 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for dress down
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dress down
Verb
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City playmaker Bernardo Silva scolded his teammates for their decision-making late on in the shocking collapse against Manchester United last weekend.Joe Prince-Wright, NBC Sports, NBC News, 20 Dec. 2024
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Moulton scolded his party for shutting out opposing opinions and failing to address voters' fears in an opinion article published in the Washington Post at the end of November.Jackson Thompson, Fox News, 17 Dec. 2024
Verb
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No one had ever lectured on such a thing, as far as anyone could recall.Tania Roettger, The Dial, 5 Dec. 2024
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She’s also lectured on the History of Costume in Chicago, and served as an Assistant Costume Curator at the Wellesley Historical Society.thehustle.co, thehustle.co, 1 Nov. 2024
Verb
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The 49ers wasted no time in reprimanding Campbell for his action.Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 17 Dec. 2024
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Faced with claims of enabling fentanyl supply, officials from both China and Mexico have reprimanded the U.S. for enabling the drug’s demand.Sarah Matusek, The Christian Science Monitor, 17 Dec. 2024
Verb
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The producers call down to WBZ's Steve Burton, who's working as tonight's sideline reporter.Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 11 Aug. 2024
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The pilot would locate an enemy position and mark it with small smoke bombs; an artillery spotter could then call down a barrage on the marked location.David Hambling, Forbes, 29 Nov. 2024
Verb
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The regime blamed the economic collapse on sanctions, the price Syria had to pay for standing up to foreign powers.Loubna Mrie, The Atlantic, 20 Dec. 2024
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Peterson has blamed his former financial adviser for the issues.Gord Magill, Newsweek, 20 Dec. 2024
Verb
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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
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In the following scene, which marks a turning point between Emily and Luke, Emily chews out Luke for pushing a deal that ends up costing their firm $25 million.Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 6 Oct. 2023
Verb
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Bo French, the chairman of the Tarrant County, Texas, GOP, criticized Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Lisa Franchetti, alleging that an emphasis on DEI programs had undermined the military's effectiveness.Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 24 Dec. 2024
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Disney filed a First Amendment lawsuit the following year, arguing that DeSantis and state Republicans had waged a concerted campaign to punish Disney for exercising its speech rights to criticize Florida’s anti-LGBTQ+ legislation.Meg James, Los Angeles Times, 23 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near dress down
Cite this Entry
“Dress down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dress%20down. Accessed 4 Jan. 2025.
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