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
Klein sending a gold V-neck t-shirt dress down the runway for fall 1991, famously worn by Cindy Crawford, creating an unforgettable moment for the season.
—
Tonya Blazio-Licorish, Footwear News, 19 Dec. 2025
While Haim dressed down her look with a low-key ponytail and barely-there makeup, Swift stuck to her usual glam with cat-eye liner and signature red lip.
—Kathleen Walsh, Glamour, 10 Dec. 2025
The shoe comes in two colors, each of which look great dressed up or dressed down, and will only get better with each wear.
—Will Porter, Outside, 9 Dec. 2025
All of the family appeared to dress down for the occasion, wearing black pants and sneakers.
—Hannah Sacks, PEOPLE, 3 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dress down
Tonya Blazio-Licorish, Footwear News, 19 Dec. 2025
While Haim dressed down her look with a low-key ponytail and barely-there makeup, Swift stuck to her usual glam with cat-eye liner and signature red lip.
—Kathleen Walsh, Glamour, 10 Dec. 2025
The shoe comes in two colors, each of which look great dressed up or dressed down, and will only get better with each wear.
—Will Porter, Outside, 9 Dec. 2025
All of the family appeared to dress down for the occasion, wearing black pants and sneakers.
—Hannah Sacks, PEOPLE, 3 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dress down
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dress down
Verb
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As the Sentinel’s Cristobal Reyes has reported, federal judges based in Orlando have scolded prosecutors multiple times in recent weeks for detaining people who should have been set free, with one judge memorably comparing the current actions of ICE to those of a third-world country.—
Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board,
The Orlando Sentinel,
8 Feb. 2026
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Young kids paddled near the shallow edges and bigger kids jumped off the cliffs above the swimming hole, causing the adults to gasp and scold.—
Hazlitt,
Hazlitt,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Sometimes the messages got feisty, with Epstein lecturing Karp over a fee.—
Tom Schoenberg,
Fortune,
5 Feb. 2026
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The Masons were members of the Congregational Church where Codding lectured.—
Susan DeGrane,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Several told the Herald they were reprimanded for speaking to the media to promote the cultural events being hosted by the center.—
Raisa Habersham,
Miami Herald,
6 Feb. 2026
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Following the meeting, Green was reprimanded by a captain for failing to review the video with the officers.—
Ben Wheeler,
Kansas City Star,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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For fixes other tenants would normally make themselves, like changing a lightbulb, Ruby would call down June’s husband to act as a handyman.—
Adriane Quinlan,
Curbed,
22 Jan. 2026
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Derpetrossian was working with a hot shot crew with the Angeles National Forest when he got called down to help fight fires that were popping up around Los Angeles while the Palisades Fire wreaked havoc on the city’s Westside.—
Cindy Von Quednow,
CNN Money,
17 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Cuban officials have said existing US economic sanctions are largely to blame for the energy crisis, although critics also fault a lack of government investment in infrastructure.—
Michael Rios,
CNN Money,
10 Feb. 2026
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But Connecticut Republicans — along with some Democrats — have for a long time blamed the lack of ample gas supply for the region’s high energy costs.—
John Moritz,
Hartford Courant,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Instead of the standard chewing out, the senior played a clip of his freshman defensive back counterpart recognizing a screen, shedding a block and securing the first solo tackle of his career against No. 5 Georgia last week.—
Noah White,
Miami Herald,
10 Nov. 2025
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Being chewed out was nothing new, part of life as a football player.—
Nick Kosmider,
New York Times,
8 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Since last fall, the Media Research Center, a right-wing organization that criticizes legacy media outlets, has turned its attention on Apple News’ story selection.—
semafor.com,
semafor.com,
16 Feb. 2026
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While the vote was unanimous, Trustee Jamela Smith-Folds criticized the majority of her colleagues who approved new contracts with two of the district’s labor groups, United Teachers of Richmond and Teamsters Local 856, the union representing custodial staff, cafeteria workers and others.—
Sierra Lopez,
Mercury News,
15 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Women stopped to bawl out the police, who accepted this dressing-down with quiet embarrassment.—
National Geographic,
National Geographic,
11 Aug. 2020
Cite this Entry
“Dress down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dress%20down. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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