CALL DOWN Synonyms: 73 Similar and Opposite Words

call down

verb

Definition of call down

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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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 call down King called down to Branch from the balcony of a hotel where several iconic musicians had made entries into the catalogue of protest music. — Jack Armstrong, Memphis Commercial Appeal, 22 Apr. 2026 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 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 Ming opened up her fourth floor window and called down to the firefighters below. — Kate Talerico, San Francisco Chronicle, 19 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for call down

Recent Examples of Synonyms for call down

Verb

But leaders seeking to encourage tourism scolded residents who warned of the danger on social media.

— Abe Streep, ProPublica, 21 Oct. 2026
From behind a tree, Neil and Florence observed Brenda scolding little Neil.

— S. M. Reznik, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of scold

Verb

At a time when everyone is asking where men fit in, this film doesn’t lecture.

— Annika Pham, Variety, 19 Oct. 2026
Respondents in England and Australia were more likely to associate teaching with institutional, credentialed and paid professional roles, such as nursing, lecturing and social work.

— Gustavo E. Fischman, Fortune, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of lecture

Verb

Mandell was later formally reprimanded for allowing another client’s hearing to be delayed by six years, during which time two witnesses died.

— Samantha Melamed, ProPublica, 13 Oct. 2026
The Denver school board censured director Monica Hunter on Thursday night, the third time in five years that the governing body of Colorado’s largest K-12 district has publicly reprimanded a colleague.

— Jessica Seaman, Denver Post, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of reprimand

Verb

That set off the wave of youth protests that blamed the collapse on high-level corruption and cronyism during renovation work at the station.

— JOVANA GEC, Arkansas Online, 27 Oct. 2026
Anything this pair does for the next several months that is not together will be scrutinized, dissected, interpreted, and ESPN can only blame itself.

— Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 Oct. 2026

Definition of blame

Verb

Vance has neither criticized his friend nor publicly nudged Carlson to temper what’s been harsh criticism of Israel — and Trump’s cultivation of the Netanyahu government.

— Shelby Talcott, semafor.com, 26 Oct. 2026
At an October debate, Bass pointed out that Raman, as chair of the city council’s housing and homelessness committee, had repeatedly approved spending on Inside Safe, the very program Raman now criticizes as expensive and insufficiently accountable.

— Maxwell Adler, Vanity Fair, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of criticize

Browse Nearby Words

callbacks

call down

called

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“Call down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/call%20down. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of call down

verb

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