dow·el
ˈdau̇(-ə)l 
1
: a pin fitting into a hole in an abutting piece to prevent motion or slipping
also
: a round rod or stick used especially for cutting up into dowels
2
: a piece of wood driven into a wall so that other pieces can be nailed to it
Examples of dowel in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Megan Boettcher, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 Oct. 2023
Spun-Sugar Cobwebs Spun-sugar recipes typically involve flinging hot liquid sugar across a setup of dowels and newspaper.
—Sunset Staff, Sunset Magazine, 25 Oct. 2023
Glue a dowel plug into each hole [8] and cut it flush to the face of the seat board [9].
—Neal Barrett, Popular Mechanics, 31 July 2021
Tutorials abound, with users demonstrating how to create antennas by wrapping copper wire around long wooden dowels or bamboo stakes.
—Kate Morgan, Washington Post, 30 Aug. 2023
The original instructions don’t specify how to make the turning mechanism, so here’s our idea: find a thin dowel and slightly larger-diameter PVC pipe that the dowel can slide into and rotate in comfortably.
—Lara Sorokanich, Popular Mechanics, 4 Oct. 2022
Insert dowels into the holes to form hanging pegs for mugs, utensils, and more.
—Jessica Bennett, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 Aug. 2023
Drill a grid pattern of holes into a plywood board, and use dowels to hang tools or support shelf boards.
—Jessica Bennett, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 Aug. 2023
The easiest and cheapest of these options is to use standard dowels and a doweling jig with your power drill.
—Jean Levasseur, Popular Science, 26 July 2023
Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 July 2022
If the stem is very weak, use a stick or dowel as a splint to prevent the stem from breaking off.
—Tim Johnson, chicagotribune.com, 19 Mar. 2022
Cut 1x2 into eight 36-inch pieces, then cut 3/8-inch dowel rods into 12-inch lengths.
—Chelsea Evers, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 Apr. 2021
Plug the holes with 3⁄8-inch dowel glued into place and trimmed flush [8].
—Ted Kilcommons, Popular Mechanics, 18 July 2020
For a classic spiral design, place your finger or dowel rod in the center of the shirt and start turning clockwise until the entire shirt reaches a spiral design.
—Amanda Garrity, Good Housekeeping, 9 June 2020
Kay would have had to carefully dowel these cuts together, and then shape them into a perfectly round wheel.
—Cody Cassidy, Wired, 6 May 2020
The great room, which features tongue-and-groove, doweled rafters above matching Koa floors, provides plenty of room to entertain, but the downstairs game room is where the real fun happens.
—Liv Sotheby's International Realty, The Denver Post, 20 Dec. 2019
See More
Noun
To create the tower of pumpkins, drill a hole through the center of each pumpkin, and secure them a dowel.
—Megan Boettcher, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 Oct. 2023
Spun-Sugar Cobwebs Spun-sugar recipes typically involve flinging hot liquid sugar across a setup of dowels and newspaper.
—Sunset Staff, Sunset Magazine, 25 Oct. 2023
Glue a dowel plug into each hole [8] and cut it flush to the face of the seat board [9].
—Neal Barrett, Popular Mechanics, 31 July 2021
Tutorials abound, with users demonstrating how to create antennas by wrapping copper wire around long wooden dowels or bamboo stakes.
—Kate Morgan, Washington Post, 30 Aug. 2023
The original instructions don’t specify how to make the turning mechanism, so here’s our idea: find a thin dowel and slightly larger-diameter PVC pipe that the dowel can slide into and rotate in comfortably.
—Lara Sorokanich, Popular Mechanics, 4 Oct. 2022
Insert dowels into the holes to form hanging pegs for mugs, utensils, and more.
—Jessica Bennett, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 Aug. 2023
Drill a grid pattern of holes into a plywood board, and use dowels to hang tools or support shelf boards.
—Jessica Bennett, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 Aug. 2023
The easiest and cheapest of these options is to use standard dowels and a doweling jig with your power drill.
—Jean Levasseur, Popular Science, 26 July 2023
Verb
Tie the other end of the string to a wooden stick or dowel.
—Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 July 2022
If the stem is very weak, use a stick or dowel as a splint to prevent the stem from breaking off.
—Tim Johnson, chicagotribune.com, 19 Mar. 2022
Cut 1x2 into eight 36-inch pieces, then cut 3/8-inch dowel rods into 12-inch lengths.
—Chelsea Evers, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 Apr. 2021
Plug the holes with 3⁄8-inch dowel glued into place and trimmed flush [8].
—Ted Kilcommons, Popular Mechanics, 18 July 2020
For a classic spiral design, place your finger or dowel rod in the center of the shirt and start turning clockwise until the entire shirt reaches a spiral design.
—Amanda Garrity, Good Housekeeping, 9 June 2020
Kay would have had to carefully dowel these cuts together, and then shape them into a perfectly round wheel.
—Cody Cassidy, Wired, 6 May 2020
The great room, which features tongue-and-groove, doweled rafters above matching Koa floors, provides plenty of room to entertain, but the downstairs game room is where the real fun happens.
—Liv Sotheby's International Realty, The Denver Post, 20 Dec. 2019
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'dowel.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Dictionary Entries Near dowel
Cite this Entry
“Dowel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dowel. Accessed 1 Dec. 2023.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
dowel
1 of 2 noun
dow·el
ˈdau̇(-ə)l
: a pin or peg used for fastening together two pieces of wood
also
: a round rod or stick used especially for cutting up into dowels
dowel
2 of 2 verb
dowelled also doweled; dowelling also doweling
: to fasten by dowels
More from Merriam-Webster on dowel
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share