as in to rail (at or against)
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Recent Examples of tell off
Stephen King made a surprise return to X on Feb. 20 to tell off President Trump and Elon Musk, the latter of which owns the social media platform.
—
Zack Sharf, Variety, 21 Feb. 2025
Deliverance is a game about being told off for sleeping in other people's beds.
—David Faris, Newsweek, 3 Feb. 2025
The West Coast rapper took to TikTok to share a 50 Cent meme where the Queens rapper was confused about being told off by Floyd Mayweather.
—Demicia Inman, VIBE.com, 3 Sep. 2019
Two small feral-looking kids, ragged, both looked about seven years old, had been told off several times for knocking some of these flimsy chairs to one side as if to let the horse out.
—Ali Smith, Harper's Magazine, 2 Jan. 2025
The text overlay reads: POV you're being told off at 24 and 27.
—Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 17 Jan. 2025
The Panathinaikos substitutes and coaches, arms locked on the touchline, were told off for encroaching onto the pitch.
—Nick Miller, The Athletic, 16 Aug. 2024
Despite being told off, the baubles remained too exciting.
—Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 23 Dec. 2024
Is Bissouma forgiven? Ange Postecoglou said on Friday that Yves Bissouma’s response to his suspension for his laughing gas misdemeanour had been like a punished child, whose behaviour is perfect for the two days after being told off.
—Jack Pitt-Brooke, The Athletic, 24 Aug. 2024
Zack Sharf, Variety, 21 Feb. 2025
Deliverance is a game about being told off for sleeping in other people's beds.
—David Faris, Newsweek, 3 Feb. 2025
The West Coast rapper took to TikTok to share a 50 Cent meme where the Queens rapper was confused about being told off by Floyd Mayweather.
—Demicia Inman, VIBE.com, 3 Sep. 2019
Two small feral-looking kids, ragged, both looked about seven years old, had been told off several times for knocking some of these flimsy chairs to one side as if to let the horse out.
—Ali Smith, Harper's Magazine, 2 Jan. 2025
The text overlay reads: POV you're being told off at 24 and 27.
—Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 17 Jan. 2025
The Panathinaikos substitutes and coaches, arms locked on the touchline, were told off for encroaching onto the pitch.
—Nick Miller, The Athletic, 16 Aug. 2024
Despite being told off, the baubles remained too exciting.
—Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 23 Dec. 2024
Is Bissouma forgiven? Ange Postecoglou said on Friday that Yves Bissouma’s response to his suspension for his laughing gas misdemeanour had been like a punished child, whose behaviour is perfect for the two days after being told off.
—Jack Pitt-Brooke, The Athletic, 24 Aug. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tell off
Verb
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Skrillex has never restricted his distension of sonic materials to merely supersizing his bass lines, and among other things, the voices on this album are routinely phased and retuned and cut up.—
Michaelangelo Matos,
Rolling Stone,
1 Apr. 2025
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Here, Pulisic cuts up the left channel to offer a destination for a through ball.—
Jeff Rueter,
The Athletic,
24 Mar. 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
-
Using dull pruners can cause rips and ragged cuts to the foliage that will invite disease to enter the bulbs.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
9 Apr. 2025
-
In 1982, Springsteen released a stark collection of four-track demos, haunted American wasteland tales primarily told with his voice ragged and his acoustic shuddering.—
Ryan Leas,
Vulture,
3 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Despite those formal touches, they can be dressed down just as easily when worn with sandals and a cropped tank top.—
Clint Davis,
People.com,
28 Mar. 2025
-
Her aesthetic showcases the luxe sheets act as a chameleon to be dressed down in a kid's space or elevated in a primary bedroom.—
Yelena Moroz Alpert,
Architectural Digest,
19 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
By building a social and political movement that gave him coercive power over the GOP, he’s been able to punish heretics and elevate loyalists committed to advancing his agenda and interests.—
Eric Cortellessa,
Time,
27 Mar. 2025
-
Environments where failure is punished and stress is glorified can lead to chronic depletion.—
Erin Stafford,
Forbes.com,
26 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
Back in the fortress, the Man of Steel scolds Krypto for wrecking the joint while he was gone.—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
1 Apr. 2025
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After the kid was saved, Beltran scolded the resident, reminding her not to bring her personal life into the ER — or her attending’s.—
Charlie Mason,
TVLine,
27 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Videos circulated on social media showing Herro shoving the other player, who raised his hands in apparent disbelief while Herro seemed to jaw at him.—
Chantz Martin,
Fox News,
16 Mar. 2025
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The Rams took a four-point lead into halftime with Hollier at three fouls, one of them a technical for jawing with the ref.—
Kyle Newman,
The Denver Post,
7 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Quilting group hosts lecture, workshop El Camino Quilt Guild meets at 9:30 a.m. April 8 at El Corazon Senior Center, 3302 Senior Center Drive.—
Linda Mcintosh,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
2 Apr. 2025
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But the club’s members didn’t lecture or advocate until 20 years after its 1876 founding.—
Ron Grossman,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tell off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tell%20off. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.
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