dress down
verb
dressed down; dressing down; dresses down
: to reprove severely
: to dress casually especially for reasons of fashion
Synonyms
Examples of dress down in a Sentence
dressed down for boorish behavior at the dance
Recent Examples on the Web
Buyers have worn it to weddings, bridal showers, and birthday parties, but it can easily be dressed down with sneakers or sandals for a day at the office.
—
Clara McMahon, Peoplemag, 19 May 2024
Both were casual, with Cardi at home (snacking on junk food in her mom’s house for the latter), dressed down, makeup-less, and direct, but Cardi suspects the want more glamor from her.
—Mankaprr Conteh, Rolling Stone, 16 May 2024
These wide-leg pants drape nicely, and work for a dressed up or dressed down scenario.
—Kristine Thomason, Travel + Leisure, 3 May 2024
The silky material can make this look dressed up for nice dinners out with the right top and heels, but it can also be dressed down with casual sandals and accessories.
—Kayla Becker, Travel + Leisure, 10 Apr. 2024
The tailored, mid-rise design is chic with a blazer, like Jennifer’s, but can just as easily be dressed down for a more casual look à la Joanna.
—Megan Schaltegger, Peoplemag, 15 Mar. 2024
The two made low-key appearances in the crowd on April 12 and April 13, dressed down to enjoy the annual event held in Indio, California.
—Brittany Talarico, Peoplemag, 14 Apr. 2024
For the reception, the NFL star dressed down, swapping his suit for a plain black polo shirt and a pair of gray jeans.
—Bailey Richards, Peoplemag, 31 Mar. 2024
Princess Kate dressed down for the outing, wearing black leggings, a pair of black sneakers and a zip-up hoodie (with a subtle message to her royal work!).
—Kirsty Hatcher, Peoplemag, 19 Mar. 2024
Clara McMahon, Peoplemag, 19 May 2024
Both were casual, with Cardi at home (snacking on junk food in her mom’s house for the latter), dressed down, makeup-less, and direct, but Cardi suspects the want more glamor from her.
—Mankaprr Conteh, Rolling Stone, 16 May 2024
These wide-leg pants drape nicely, and work for a dressed up or dressed down scenario.
—Kristine Thomason, Travel + Leisure, 3 May 2024
The silky material can make this look dressed up for nice dinners out with the right top and heels, but it can also be dressed down with casual sandals and accessories.
—Kayla Becker, Travel + Leisure, 10 Apr. 2024
The tailored, mid-rise design is chic with a blazer, like Jennifer’s, but can just as easily be dressed down for a more casual look à la Joanna.
—Megan Schaltegger, Peoplemag, 15 Mar. 2024
The two made low-key appearances in the crowd on April 12 and April 13, dressed down to enjoy the annual event held in Indio, California.
—Brittany Talarico, Peoplemag, 14 Apr. 2024
For the reception, the NFL star dressed down, swapping his suit for a plain black polo shirt and a pair of gray jeans.
—Bailey Richards, Peoplemag, 31 Mar. 2024
Princess Kate dressed down for the outing, wearing black leggings, a pair of black sneakers and a zip-up hoodie (with a subtle message to her royal work!).
—Kirsty Hatcher, Peoplemag, 19 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'dress down.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near dress down
Cite this Entry
“Dress down.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dress%20down. Accessed 28 May. 2024.
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