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
Liz Provencher, Travel + Leisure, 9 Jan. 2026
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
Verb
Chef Alejandro Crespo has created a menu that dials up traditional tapas.
—Liz Provencher, Travel + Leisure, 9 Jan. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dials
Verb
-
The forecast calls for a low of 7 degrees in Blytheville and 9 degrees in Jonesboro on Saturday night.—
Bill Bowden,
Arkansas Online,
29 Jan. 2026
-
This is something the study calls the Endorphin Economy.—
Alex Ledsom,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The lattice work details on the side give it vintage detail, and the classic scalloped knobs add even more nostalgia.—
Shea Simmons,
Southern Living,
26 Jan. 2026
-
Gas ovens pose a dangerous carbon monoxide risk that can lead to poisoning or death, while electric ovens can be a fire hazard, melting knobs or igniting nearby flammable items.—
Jonathan Limehouse,
USA Today,
24 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Richard and Moody tried their hands at Butler-style pullup jumpers, and Hield handled the ball a tad more than Kerr would have probably liked.—
Joseph Dycus,
Mercury News,
27 Jan. 2026
-
Using your hands, mix until combined (don’t be gentle; mixing well will help the meatballs hold their shape when formed).—
Jesse Szewczyk,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
27 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
-
These indicators are combined into a composite measure of global engagement.—
TIME Staff,
Time,
28 Jan. 2026
-
And that belief turns out to be one of the clearest indicators of leadership maturity.—
Dev Patnaik,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Consider the Trefis Reinforced Value (RV) Portfolio, which has outperformed its all-cap stock benchmark (a mix of the S&P 500, S&P mid-cap, and Russell 2000 benchmark indices), delivering strong returns for investors.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
-
In stock markets abroad, indexes rose across much of the rest of the world.—
Stan Choe,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The president and first lady — who met in college and shared two children, Mary and Russell — were uneasy about the light switches, refusing to touch them and leaving the task up to White House staff.—
Paloma Chavez,
PEOPLE,
29 Jan. 2026
-
Acclaim Communications — a maker of computer switches — was bought by Level One Communications in 1998 for about $120 million.—
Bernadette Toh,
Bloomberg,
28 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dials.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dials. Accessed 31 Jan. 2026.
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