as in to rail (at or against)
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Recent Examples of tell off
Two small feral-looking kids, ragged, both looked about seven years old, had been told off several times for knocking some of these flimsy chairs to one side as if to let the horse out.
—
Ali Smith, Harper's Magazine, 2 Jan. 2025
The text overlay reads: POV you're being told off at 24 and 27.
—Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 17 Jan. 2025
The Panathinaikos substitutes and coaches, arms locked on the touchline, were told off for encroaching onto the pitch.
—Nick Miller, The Athletic, 16 Aug. 2024
Despite being told off, the baubles remained too exciting.
—Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 23 Dec. 2024
Is Bissouma forgiven? Ange Postecoglou said on Friday that Yves Bissouma’s response to his suspension for his laughing gas misdemeanour had been like a punished child, whose behaviour is perfect for the two days after being told off.
—Jack Pitt-Brooke, The Athletic, 24 Aug. 2024
The crowd then roared with cheers when Kendrick told off the director.
—Zack Sharf, Variety, 28 Oct. 2024
Leonard Maltin, a staunch critic of the first movie, gets eaten by Gremlins followed by the little menaces taking over a theater before being told off by none other than Hulk Hogan.
—EW.com, 17 Oct. 2024
This was particularly the case during the nuclear talks, where the most hardline factions were told off by Khamenei.
—Ariane M. Tabatabai, Foreign Affairs, 26 May 2017
Ali Smith, Harper's Magazine, 2 Jan. 2025
The text overlay reads: POV you're being told off at 24 and 27.
—Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 17 Jan. 2025
The Panathinaikos substitutes and coaches, arms locked on the touchline, were told off for encroaching onto the pitch.
—Nick Miller, The Athletic, 16 Aug. 2024
Despite being told off, the baubles remained too exciting.
—Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 23 Dec. 2024
Is Bissouma forgiven? Ange Postecoglou said on Friday that Yves Bissouma’s response to his suspension for his laughing gas misdemeanour had been like a punished child, whose behaviour is perfect for the two days after being told off.
—Jack Pitt-Brooke, The Athletic, 24 Aug. 2024
The crowd then roared with cheers when Kendrick told off the director.
—Zack Sharf, Variety, 28 Oct. 2024
Leonard Maltin, a staunch critic of the first movie, gets eaten by Gremlins followed by the little menaces taking over a theater before being told off by none other than Hulk Hogan.
—EW.com, 17 Oct. 2024
This was particularly the case during the nuclear talks, where the most hardline factions were told off by Khamenei.
—Ariane M. Tabatabai, Foreign Affairs, 26 May 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tell off
Verb
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Police then went to English's car to search for additional destructive devices and found a 750-milliliter bottle of Smirnoff vodka as well as a gray sweatshirt that had been cut up.—
Jonathan Granoff,
Newsweek,
28 Jan. 2025
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How cut up was John Bell and the whole team that day?—
Maureen Lee Lenker,
EW.com,
18 Jan. 2025
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
-
Two small feral-looking kids, ragged, both looked about seven years old, had been told off several times for knocking some of these flimsy chairs to one side as if to let the horse out.—
Ali Smith,
Harper's Magazine,
2 Jan. 2025
-
This can occur if the blades are too dull to cut through the grass, resulting in torn or ragged grass standing at uneven heights.—
Timothy Dale,
Better Homes & Gardens,
29 Sep. 2024
Verb
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Elsa Hosk dressed down a blazer with denim at Valentino‘s spring 2025 couture fashion show in Paris on Wednesday.—
Hannah Malach,
WWD,
29 Jan. 2025
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There were few in the sharply dressed and cavernous Palm Springs Convention Center who dressed down.—
Pete Hammond,
Deadline,
4 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Turning to a flat rate will simply punish those institutions where costs are highest, such as those in dense urban areas.—
John Timmer,
Ars Technica,
8 Feb. 2025
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Trump has also issued an executive order aimed at punishing pro-Palestinian protesters on college campuses.—
Trevor Hughes,
USA TODAY,
7 Feb. 2025
Verb
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What leads children to be scolded for poor behavior can snowball into difficulties keeping a job, maintaining healthy relationships, and even staying out of prison.—
Yasmin Tayag,
The Atlantic,
3 Feb. 2025
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And despite being scolded by school administrators for it and having to file a lawsuit, more and more students began to show up each week wearing the shirts, as the school had to alter its dress code and start placing students in detention for wearing them.—
Jackson Thompson,
Fox News,
31 Jan. 2025
Verb
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That play included Kelce jawing at Buffalo safety Damar Hamlin.—
Pete Grathoff,
Kansas City Star,
2 Feb. 2025
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After jawing with the Buccaneers defenders, Daniels converted that crucial third down in the final minute, setting up Washington’s 37-yard game-winning field goal to beat Tampa Bay, 23-20.—
NBC News,
NBC News,
13 Jan. 2025
Verb
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On one occasion, Aldous Huxley lectured on the lurid life of the Renaissance visionary Carlo Gesualdo.—
Alex Ross,
The New Yorker,
27 Jan. 2025
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Marcy Thompson: The couple moved to Berlin, where Rudolf was invited to lecture for the German Social Democratic Party.—
Marcy Thompson,
Scientific American,
23 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near tell off
Cite this Entry
“Tell off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tell%20off. Accessed 12 Feb. 2025.
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