as in scolded
to criticize (someone) severely or angrily especially for personal failings dressed down for boorish behavior at the dance
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of dressed down
Emily Belfiore, Travel + Leisure, 20 Apr. 2026 Rattan, jute, sisal, wood, seagrass, and more are all great options for an organic feel that can be both dressed up or dressed down. —Halee Miller Van Ryswyk, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Apr. 2026 These beautiful styles will take you from day to night, dressed up or dressed down. —Tory Johnson, ABC News, 23 Mar. 2026 The Burlesque star dressed down her jewels in a effortlessly cool black sweat set. —Christina Perrier, InStyle, 10 Mar. 2026 If someone is dressed up in a space that is dressed down, for instance, there’s humor to it. —Luke Leitch, Vogue, 7 Mar. 2026 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
Verb
It can be easily dressed up for dinner with nice shoes, as well as comfortably dressed down with sandals or sneakers for the pool or exploring the ship. —Emily Belfiore, Travel + Leisure, 20 Apr. 2026 Rattan, jute, sisal, wood, seagrass, and more are all great options for an organic feel that can be both dressed up or dressed down. —Halee Miller Van Ryswyk, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Apr. 2026 These beautiful styles will take you from day to night, dressed up or dressed down. —Tory Johnson, ABC News, 23 Mar. 2026 The Burlesque star dressed down her jewels in a effortlessly cool black sweat set. —Christina Perrier, InStyle, 10 Mar. 2026 If someone is dressed up in a space that is dressed down, for instance, there’s humor to it. —Luke Leitch, Vogue, 7 Mar. 2026 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dressed down
Adjective
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In the early 1980s, Murphy and a few associates ran an informal back channel between the United States and the Soviet Union.— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 29 Apr. 2026
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For households where one member frequently travels or serves in demanding roles, the app offers a way to pass along knowledge that might otherwise remain informal.— Malana VanTyler, USA Today, 29 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Leon scolded Justice Department attorneys for arguing that the entire project needed to go forward for national security reasons, before previously distinguishing between the bunker below ground and the ballroom above ground.— Ted Johnson, Deadline, 16 Apr. 2026
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Government officials scolded young people for the signs of disrespect.— Justin Spike, Los Angeles Times, 14 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Bringing his bag of insane tricks and witty banter to the Wilshire Ebell Theatre for two nights on May 8 and 9, Willman’s crowd work, storytelling and intricate tricks are inspired by everyday life.— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 29 Apr. 2026
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For full-time mothers who often move between cooking, cleaning, childcare, remote admin tasks, and managing family schedules throughout the day, this mobility can make everyday routines more practical and less disruptive.— William Jones, USA Today, 29 Apr. 2026
Verb
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For years, states such as New York and California have been run by politicians who seem to believe prosperity is permanent — an endless resource to be taxed a little more, regulated a little harder and lectured a little longer.— Larry Clifton, Sun Sentinel, 28 Apr. 2026
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Ratmoko is also a photographer, writer, and scholar who has lectured on intercultural communication schools including Yale University and the University of Zurich.— Sydney Lake, Fortune, 11 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Nick Jonas has a casual yet stylish vibe in a leather jacket, hoodie and baseball cap in New York City on April 23.— Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 27 Apr. 2026
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Wetjen was out at Stone Creek Golf Club near Iowa’s campus, playing a casual round with his girlfriend, Rachel Bierman, and friends when the moment hit.— Amber Harding OutKick, FOXNews.com, 27 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Kudrow, who starred as the free-spirited Phoebe Buffay, said the writers reprimanded the cast for forgetting lines and spent their off-hours fantasizing about her female co-stars.— Jack Dunn, Variety, 28 Apr. 2026
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Jimmy John’s was once reprimanded for making sandwich makers sign them.— Morris M. Kleiner, Mercury News, 22 Apr. 2026
Verb
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At another point, NASA astronaut and Artemis II commander Reid Wiseman called down to Earth to NASA’s IT specialists on the ground to report that both versions of Microsoft’s email program Outlook installed on his computer were not working.— Noah Haggerty, Los Angeles Times, 6 Apr. 2026
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Ming opened up her fourth floor window and called down to the firefighters below.— Kate Talerico, San Francisco Chronicle, 19 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Gatkhor Dual, an opposition official coordinating aid in Jonglei state, blamed county commissioner James Bol Makuei for blocking humanitarian access.— ABC News, ABC News, 28 Apr. 2026
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In a statement, a spokesperson for Angels In The Asylum blamed the closure on the film being unable to resolve financing issues with John Cairns and his company, Parkland Pictures.— Jake Kanter, Deadline, 28 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dressed down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.grautoblog.com/thesaurus/dressed%20down. Accessed 30 Apr. 2026.
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