1
: the face of a sundial
2
obsolete
: timepiece
3
: the graduated face of a timepiece
4
a
: a face upon which some measurement is registered usually by means of graduations and a pointer
the thermometer dial reads 70°F
b
: a device that may be operated to make electrical connections or to regulate the operation of a machine
a radio dial
a telephone dial
dialed or dialled; dialing or dialling
1
: to measure with a dial
2
a
: to manipulate a device (such as a dial) so as to operate, regulate, or select
dial your favorite program
dialed the wrong number
b
: call sense 1m(1)
dialed the office
1
Synonyms
Examples of dial in a Sentence
Noun
the dial of a pressure gauge
I had to keep adjusting the radio dial to make the station come in clearly.
Verb
I'm sorry. I must have dialed the wrong number.
dialed 911 and asked for the police
Recent Examples on the Web
Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 20 Apr. 2024
Now, state legislators and some local and state agencies are turning back the dial, moving to relax the rules on high-speed vehicular pursuits largely because of concerns about crime, according to news reports and a review of testimony by Stateline.
—Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 19 Apr. 2024
The dial on the front of the coffee maker allows the user to choose how many cups are being brewed, program the time, and set an automatic wakeup timer.
—Megan Boettcher, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Apr. 2024
However, the rare and extraordinary meeting of your joyful ruler Jupiter with wild child Uranus on April 20 turns up the dial on what’s possible between yourself and a significant other.
—Debbie Frank, Peoplemag, 5 Apr. 2024
Even in earlier, more aggressive years, US Cyber Command has tended to turn up the dial for control, Healey says, prioritizing it over those other variables.
—Andy Greenberg, WIRED, 4 Apr. 2024
It was created using a metal deposition process called electroforming that involves stamping the dial with irregular shapes resembling crystals with sharp angles.
—Carol Besler, Forbes, 30 Mar. 2024
There’s also a physical volume dial for the standard Bose audio systems, and audio controls on the steering wheel
Other noteworthy interior features include a flat-bottomed steering wheel and customizable ambient lighting.
—Mark Phelan, Detroit Free Press, 9 Apr. 2024
Bravo was the kind of stop on the dial where Federico Fellini films were shown along with jazz and ballet performances.
—Stacy Perman, Los Angeles Times, 3 Apr. 2024
Victoria Gomelsky, Robb Report, 22 Apr. 2024
Turmeric dials the golden color to an eleven, and may have anti-inflammatory benefits.
—Eden Grinshpan, Bon Appétit, 22 Apr. 2024
Someone in the home dialed 911 after the girl suffered cardiac arrest, per a statement from the sheriff’s office.
—Emily Palmer, Peoplemag, 22 Apr. 2024
Meet our experts 1/22 Best Vibrator Overall: Lelo Sona 2 Cruise
$149 $119
Lelo
This suction vibrator has a long mouth that fits around the head of the clit and stimulates it with sonic airwaves that dial up from gentle to rumbly and intense (without actually touching you).
—Amanda Chatel, Glamour, 19 Apr. 2024
The 911 system debuted in 1968 to provide people with an easy way to dial emergency services, rather than remember or find local numbers.
—Daniella Silva, NBC News, 18 Apr. 2024
For instance, visitors to the Budapest Retro Museum, which opened in 2021, can pick up the receiver of an old pay phone and dial a number to hear a typical communist-era joke, in which infamous Soviet leader Joseph Stalin visits a potato farm.
—Alice Popovici, Smithsonian Magazine, 17 Apr. 2024
Those sensors dial in assist more precisely, with fewer surprise surges.
—IEEE Spectrum, 14 Apr. 2024
Thankfully, the film is more than a fan-fiction fever dream, taking standard rom-com wish fulfillment and dialing it up to unexpectedly charming effect.
—Hannah Giorgis, The Atlantic, 10 Apr. 2024
Noun
Meteorite dials were discontinued for Daytona models in 2023, making pieces like Alcaraz’s a hot commodity.
—Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 20 Apr. 2024
Now, state legislators and some local and state agencies are turning back the dial, moving to relax the rules on high-speed vehicular pursuits largely because of concerns about crime, according to news reports and a review of testimony by Stateline.
—Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 19 Apr. 2024
The dial on the front of the coffee maker allows the user to choose how many cups are being brewed, program the time, and set an automatic wakeup timer.
—Megan Boettcher, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Apr. 2024
However, the rare and extraordinary meeting of your joyful ruler Jupiter with wild child Uranus on April 20 turns up the dial on what’s possible between yourself and a significant other.
—Debbie Frank, Peoplemag, 5 Apr. 2024
Even in earlier, more aggressive years, US Cyber Command has tended to turn up the dial for control, Healey says, prioritizing it over those other variables.
—Andy Greenberg, WIRED, 4 Apr. 2024
It was created using a metal deposition process called electroforming that involves stamping the dial with irregular shapes resembling crystals with sharp angles.
—Carol Besler, Forbes, 30 Mar. 2024
There’s also a physical volume dial for the standard Bose audio systems, and audio controls on the steering wheel
Other noteworthy interior features include a flat-bottomed steering wheel and customizable ambient lighting.
—Mark Phelan, Detroit Free Press, 9 Apr. 2024
Bravo was the kind of stop on the dial where Federico Fellini films were shown along with jazz and ballet performances.
—Stacy Perman, Los Angeles Times, 3 Apr. 2024
Verb
Fans of two-tone style will appreciate the model’s Bernina Gray dial, a tribute to the color of the Alpine landscape, home to the majestic raptors that lend the collection their name.
—Victoria Gomelsky, Robb Report, 22 Apr. 2024
Turmeric dials the golden color to an eleven, and may have anti-inflammatory benefits.
—Eden Grinshpan, Bon Appétit, 22 Apr. 2024
Someone in the home dialed 911 after the girl suffered cardiac arrest, per a statement from the sheriff’s office.
—Emily Palmer, Peoplemag, 22 Apr. 2024
Meet our experts 1/22 Best Vibrator Overall: Lelo Sona 2 Cruise
$149 $119
Lelo
This suction vibrator has a long mouth that fits around the head of the clit and stimulates it with sonic airwaves that dial up from gentle to rumbly and intense (without actually touching you).
—Amanda Chatel, Glamour, 19 Apr. 2024
The 911 system debuted in 1968 to provide people with an easy way to dial emergency services, rather than remember or find local numbers.
—Daniella Silva, NBC News, 18 Apr. 2024
For instance, visitors to the Budapest Retro Museum, which opened in 2021, can pick up the receiver of an old pay phone and dial a number to hear a typical communist-era joke, in which infamous Soviet leader Joseph Stalin visits a potato farm.
—Alice Popovici, Smithsonian Magazine, 17 Apr. 2024
Those sensors dial in assist more precisely, with fewer surprise surges.
—IEEE Spectrum, 14 Apr. 2024
Thankfully, the film is more than a fan-fiction fever dream, taking standard rom-com wish fulfillment and dialing it up to unexpectedly charming effect.
—Hannah Giorgis, The Atlantic, 10 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'dial.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Articles Related to dial
Dictionary Entries Near dial
Cite this Entry
“Dial.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dial. Accessed 27 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
dial
1 of 2 noun
di·al
ˈdī(-ə)l 
1
a
: sundial
b
: the face of a watch or clock
2
a
: a face or scale on which some measurement is registered usually by means of numbers and a pointer
the thermometer dial reads 60°
b
: a disk usually with a knob or slots that may be turned to make electrical connections (as on a telephone) or to regulate the operation of a device (as a radio)
dial
2 of 2 verb
dialed or dialled; dialing or dialling
1
: to turn a dial so as to operate, regulate, or select
2
: to make a telephone call or connection
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