as in to scold
to criticize (someone) severely or angrily especially for personal failings
I was called down by my supervisor for not catching the accounting error sooner
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Recent Examples of call down
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.
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David Hambling, Forbes, 29 Nov. 2024
A number of companies are vying to win the business of apartment community companies interested in providing their residents with amenities that might best be called down to earth.
—Jeffrey Steele, Forbes, 2 Oct. 2024
If the alarm rang outside business hours, someone would need to call down a list of seismologists until someone agreed to come in.
—Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 17 Sep. 2024
Dennis called down to a Detroit police officer on the street.
—Jamie L. Lareau, Detroit Free Press, 26 Apr. 2024
There were other questionable calls down the stretch in that one.
—Howard Fendrich, USA TODAY, 6 Feb. 2024
The last-two minute report from Monday’s 128-125 loss to Charlotte revealed 10 missed calls down the stretch, per the NBA.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 25 Jan. 2024
As the police amassed, a young person of about 20, bundled in warm clothing and locked to an excavator, called down to the crowd.
—Katie Myers, WIRED, 20 Jan. 2024
The complaint says the teen began to cry, and Tyler later called down to the hotel lobby to ask her to come up to his room.
—Rachel Desantis, Peoplemag, 2 Nov. 2023
David Hambling, Forbes, 29 Nov. 2024
A number of companies are vying to win the business of apartment community companies interested in providing their residents with amenities that might best be called down to earth.
—Jeffrey Steele, Forbes, 2 Oct. 2024
If the alarm rang outside business hours, someone would need to call down a list of seismologists until someone agreed to come in.
—Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 17 Sep. 2024
Dennis called down to a Detroit police officer on the street.
—Jamie L. Lareau, Detroit Free Press, 26 Apr. 2024
There were other questionable calls down the stretch in that one.
—Howard Fendrich, USA TODAY, 6 Feb. 2024
The last-two minute report from Monday’s 128-125 loss to Charlotte revealed 10 missed calls down the stretch, per the NBA.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 25 Jan. 2024
As the police amassed, a young person of about 20, bundled in warm clothing and locked to an excavator, called down to the crowd.
—Katie Myers, WIRED, 20 Jan. 2024
The complaint says the teen began to cry, and Tyler later called down to the hotel lobby to ask her to come up to his room.
—Rachel Desantis, Peoplemag, 2 Nov. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for call down
Verb
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The Senate hauled Live Nation’s president and CFO in for a public scolding.Allison Morrow, CNN, 10 Dec. 2024
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The New York Times reported that Hegseth’s mother had sent him an email scolding him for abusing women.Doyle McManus, Los Angeles Times, 9 Dec. 2024
Verb
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We’re either lectured on the history of our own struggle, or appealed to with dire fearmongering and empty promises while our cries fall on deaf ears.Derrick Johnson, The Hill, 3 Dec. 2024
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An increasingly jealous Seth Rollins lectured Sami Zayn about teaming with Roman Reigns after both of them worked so hard to end the Bloodline.Alfred Konuwa, Forbes, 2 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Lawmakers also made calls for the House Ethics Committee to look into the matter and demanded that Higgins be formally reprimanded. 2024 Presidential Election:When is the vice presidential debate between Tim Walz and JD Vance?Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 26 Sep. 2024
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The Democratic chair of the Senate Homeland Security Committee reprimanded the heads of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Homeland Security for failing to appear for an annual hearing.Matt Robison, Newsweek, 21 Nov. 2024
Verb
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President-elect Donald Trump called for nonintervention in Syria, blaming the escalating situation on former President Barack Obama.Brady Knox, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 7 Dec. 2024
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Their romance had only just been made public in 2016 and Meghan was suddenly engulfed in a storm of reporting from publications all over the world, and from the very newspapers Harry blamed for the death of his mother.Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 6 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Mangione was found with a three-page handwritten manifesto criticizing the U.S. healthcare system.Amanda Castro, Newsweek, 12 Dec. 2024
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Many people made public statements in support of Thompson, his family, and the capture of his killer, but others on social media celebrated the demise of a powerful figure in an industry often criticized for its denials of healthcare coverage.Christopher Cann, USA TODAY, 11 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Her father, meanwhile, dressed down for the occasion and wore a Terrifier T-shirt, a black cap and gray jeans.Raven Brunner, People.com, 20 Oct. 2024
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Some of these folks even dressed down–this ideal works well too especially since sneakers and dresses are so of-the-moment.Robyn Mowatt, Essence, 2 Oct. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near call down
Cite this Entry
“Call down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/call%20down. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.
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