as in calls
to make a telephone call to
dialed 911 and asked for the police
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dials
Mike Stobbe, Los Angeles Times, 6 Jan. 2026
This new installment in the film franchise based on the bestselling YA book series by Suzanne Collins again dials things back, this time looking at Haymitch Abernathy’s origins.
—Dan Heching, CNN Money, 5 Jan. 2026
When House frantically dials up the device, the man’s head explodes in a mess of gooey, gory innards.
—Lauren Huff, Entertainment Weekly, 17 Dec. 2025
Skip forward to the 1960s, when an upstanding Canadian gentleman by the name of Gerald Bull dials it up to 11 with Project HARP (High Altitude Research Project).
—New Atlas, 22 Nov. 2025
Loomer keeps a panic button, which automatically dials 911, in the studio, and in every other room in the house.
—Antonia Hitchens, New Yorker, 10 Nov. 2025
The show then dials back to February 22, 2019, another notorious day in the Murdaugh family dynasty.
—Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 15 Oct. 2025
This CoComelon Halloween playlist dials down on the creepy elements of the Halloween season.
—Elisabeth Sherman, Parents, 26 Sep. 2025
Barry, who worked in management at Magnolia Bakery for years, has developed a recipe for Banana Pudding that dials back the Southern-style sweetness to a more appealing West Coast level.
—Linda Zavoral, Mercury News, 15 Sep. 2025
Verb
Trump administration dials back vaccine recommendations Public health experts recommend that everyone 6 months and older get an annual influenza vaccine.
—Mike Stobbe, Los Angeles Times, 6 Jan. 2026
This new installment in the film franchise based on the bestselling YA book series by Suzanne Collins again dials things back, this time looking at Haymitch Abernathy’s origins.
—Dan Heching, CNN Money, 5 Jan. 2026
When House frantically dials up the device, the man’s head explodes in a mess of gooey, gory innards.
—Lauren Huff, Entertainment Weekly, 17 Dec. 2025
Skip forward to the 1960s, when an upstanding Canadian gentleman by the name of Gerald Bull dials it up to 11 with Project HARP (High Altitude Research Project).
—New Atlas, 22 Nov. 2025
Loomer keeps a panic button, which automatically dials 911, in the studio, and in every other room in the house.
—Antonia Hitchens, New Yorker, 10 Nov. 2025
The show then dials back to February 22, 2019, another notorious day in the Murdaugh family dynasty.
—Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 15 Oct. 2025
This CoComelon Halloween playlist dials down on the creepy elements of the Halloween season.
—Elisabeth Sherman, Parents, 26 Sep. 2025
Barry, who worked in management at Magnolia Bakery for years, has developed a recipe for Banana Pudding that dials back the Southern-style sweetness to a more appealing West Coast level.
—Linda Zavoral, Mercury News, 15 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dials
Verb
-
HotHands Hand Warmers 40-pack Even if the forecast calls for a warm day, the crisp and cool afternoon can require some extra tools to stay warm.—
Michael Cappetta,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Jan. 2026
-
The current design of the contemporary-looking restaurant calls for a large, 42-seat indoor bar that opens out onto the patio, and a smaller outdoor bar that can seat 15.—
Lori Weisberg,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Slip off the control knobs and wash with hot, soapy water.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
The Spruce,
8 Jan. 2026
-
These knobs have a sculptural visual and tactile design—plus, the ceramic knobs options are available in multiple colors and finishes, allowing a genuinely personal touch.—
Kristina McGuirk,
Better Homes & Gardens,
6 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Ross, who was one of several federal agents involved in the arrest, initially drew his service weapon, but holstered the gun after Muñoz-Guatemala stopped his car and raised his hands, according to the affidavit.—
Allison Gordon,
CNN Money,
9 Jan. 2026
-
The deadly shooting of a 37-year-old woman by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer in a residential neighborhood in south Minneapolis has brought back painful memories of another high-profile incident in which a civilian died at the hands of a law enforcement officer.—
Jonah Kaplan,
CBS News,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Control buttons on the stand include the on-screen display joystick, the webcam kill switch, and the power button on the right edge, plus the monitor mode switch button on the left edge.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
15 Oct. 2025
-
Though pricey, it’s made with premium materials, like corozo buttons, which are biodegradable, plastic-free button alternatives that resemble ivory.—
Dory Zayas,
Glamour,
11 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
The driver then phones the police, while arguing with officers at the scene.—
Ivana Kottasová,
CNN Money,
8 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Buchmann said that although the team is similarly looking forward to seeing precinct-level data to get a clearer picture of how Wyandotte County voted, the team found a few indicators leading up to the election that told them the race between Watson and Mulvany Henry would be close.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
7 Nov. 2025
-
McDaniel’s teams are minus-18 in turnover margin in three-and-a-half seasons, and McDaniel stresses that turnovers are the best indicators of who wins football games.—
Omar Kelly
November 7,
Miami Herald,
7 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
On Friday, stocks snapped a three-week advance, with technology dragging all three major indexes into the red.—
Sarah Min,
CNBC,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Asian and European indices followed suit, highlighting how tightly global sentiment is bound to a handful of AI leaders.—
Sydney Lake,
Fortune,
5 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
The switches came two days after the Commanders' disappointing season ended.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
7 Jan. 2026
-
The six-chip family—combine them like Infinity Stones for an AI supercomputer—include a CPU, DPU, GPU, network accelerator, and pair of switches.—
Andrew Nusca,
Fortune,
6 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dials.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dials. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.
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