telling off

verb

present participle of tell off
as in cutting up

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for telling off
  1. cutting up
  2. dressing down
  3. chewing out
Verb
  • Union President Carrie Kyung said the plan includes cutting up to 18 English learner teachers and would affect at least two dozen schools.
    — Jason Rantala, CBS News, 20 Oct. 2026
  • It’s aimed at tasks like neatly cutting up deli meats and cheeses at your picnic or campsite.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of cutting up
Verb
  • Plus, the medium wash with light fading is great for dressing up or dressing down.
    — Reece Andavolgyi, InStyle, 20 Oct. 2026
  • And there’s a useful distinction between dressing down to make someone else comfortable and being thoughtful about the signals your clothes send.
    — Morgan Sullivan, Glamour, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of dressing down
Verb
  • The episode ends with Kyle’s mom chewing out Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for his actions in the ongoing war.
    — Tiney Ricciardi, Denver Post, 25 Sep. 2025
Definition of chewing out
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.

Browse Nearby Words

telling (of)
telling off
telling (on)
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Cite this Entry

“Telling off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/telling%20off. Accessed 29 Oct. 2026.

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