dressing-down

American  

[dres-ing-doun] / ˈdrɛs ɪŋˈdaʊn /

noun

1. a severe reprimand; scolding.

---

dressing-down British  

noun

1. informal a severe scolding or thrashing

---

Etymology

Origin of dressing-down

1860–65, noun use (with -ing ¹ ) of verb phrase dress down

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

dressing-down

His famous dressing-down of his senior staff, actual quiet professionals, should be considered at some length:

From Slate ● Apr. 13, 2026

And while this dressing-down of beloved works might seem like another bummer in a world of doomscrolling, @heartthrobanderson is anything but.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 6, 2026

Some of those present left unhappy with the message and what they took as a dressing-down, the people said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 26, 2026

“He says, ‘You’re not welcome here,’” Ms. Pollini said, crying as she recalled the intensity of his dressing-down.

From New York Times ● Feb. 8, 2024

I even had one hazy fantasy where Miss Geraldine herself heard about it and gave Ruth a complete dressing-down in front of everyone.

From "Never Let Me Go" by Kazuo Ishiguro