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
The coverall-style one-piece is easy to dress up with a pair of boots and a leather jacket, or dress down with some comfy sneakers and a beanie like Paltrow’s.
—
Cai Cramer, People.com, 7 Jan. 2025
Elevate baggy jeans or dress down a dress with this effortless style.
—Kristen Philipkoski, Forbes, 9 Jan. 2025
This cropped style, below, is a no-brainer in any winter wardrobe rotation, whether worn dressed down with a baggy blue jean and preppy penny loafer or up with a dazzling party dress and strappy heeled sandal.
—Laura Jackson, Vogue, 2 Dec. 2024
Perfect for travel, the pants can be dressed up with a cute pair of comfortable flats or dressed down with an oversized sweatshirt for an overnight flight or train ride.
—Taylor Fox, Travel + Leisure, 28 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for dress down
Cai Cramer, People.com, 7 Jan. 2025
Elevate baggy jeans or dress down a dress with this effortless style.
—Kristen Philipkoski, Forbes, 9 Jan. 2025
This cropped style, below, is a no-brainer in any winter wardrobe rotation, whether worn dressed down with a baggy blue jean and preppy penny loafer or up with a dazzling party dress and strappy heeled sandal.
—Laura Jackson, Vogue, 2 Dec. 2024
Perfect for travel, the pants can be dressed up with a cute pair of comfortable flats or dressed down with an oversized sweatshirt for an overnight flight or train ride.
—Taylor Fox, Travel + Leisure, 28 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for dress down
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dress down
Verb
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At one point, an appalled Robinson came outside to scold her daughter.—
Rachel DeSantis,
People.com,
13 Feb. 2025
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On the other side of the FaceTime call is none other than Set It Off star Vivica Fox, who scolds Glo for sleeping in.—
Michael Saponara,
Billboard,
4 Feb. 2025
Verb
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For Vance to lecture the Germans on how to govern themselves—the Germans, who rose from the traumas of Nazism to build a vibrant and enduring democracy—was inappropriate and bizarre.—
Dexter Filkins,
The New Yorker,
20 Feb. 2025
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Every purchase is scrutinized — last week, I was lectured for buying a name-brand cereal.—
Anna Pulley,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Earlier this month, Lambert made headlines for stopping mid-show to reprimand an audience member who was doing just that.—
Lauren Huff,
EW.com,
17 Feb. 2025
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The World’s Best Hospitals 2024 By Dr. Thomas Lee Newsweek Is A Trust Project Member news article 0 In the pilot episode of HBO's new medical drama The Pitt, a dedicated ER doctor is reprimanded for his low Press Ganey patient satisfaction scores.—
Justin Gest,
Newsweek,
10 Feb. 2025
Verb
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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
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This ranges from being able to call down lightning strikes, to conjuring twisters, to freezing foes solid with sub-zero temperatures.—
Griff Griffin,
Newsweek,
9 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Ballard blamed himself for not cultivating a more dog-eat-dog mentality throughout the entire roster.—
James Boyd,
The Athletic,
24 Feb. 2025
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Ehrlich can hardly be blamed for the most coercive incarnations of population control.—
Gideon Lewis-Kraus,
The New Yorker,
24 Feb. 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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The agreement is already being heavily criticized by New York City Council leaders, after prosecutors resigned in protest against a directive from Trump's Department of Justice to dismiss corruption charges against Adams so the mayor could assist with the Republican president's immigration agenda.—
DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE STAFF FROM WIRE REPORTS,
arkansasonline.com,
15 Feb. 2025
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Elon Musk's transgender daughter has criticized the decision to remove references to transgender people from the Stonewall National Monument website.—
Josh Hammer,
Newsweek,
14 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dress down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dress%20down. Accessed 27 Feb. 2025.
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