tell off

phrasal-verb
UK: /ˌtel ˈɒf/
US: /ˌtel ˈɔːf/

  1. To speak angrily or seriously to someone for doing something wrong

    1. My mom will tell me off if I don't clean my room.
    2. The teacher told the student off for not doing his homework on time.

  2. To scold or reprimand someone sharply and directly

    1. I told him off for being late again.
    2. The manager told off the employee for their poor performance during the meeting.

Synonyms

reprimand admonish berate chide scold

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "tell off" in English means: To speak angrily or seriously to someone for doing something wrong, To scold or reprimand someone sharply and directly.

The phonetic transcription of "tell off" is /ˌtel ˈɒf/ in British English and /ˌtel ˈɔːf/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "tell off": reprimand, admonish, berate, chide, scold.

Example usage of "tell off": "My mom will tell me off if I don't clean my room.". More examples on the page.