as in calls
to make a telephone call to
dialed 911 and asked for the police
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
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
-
In a city, the first 100 meters (328 feet) of earth act as a thermal sponge, soaking up heat from human activity—what Philipp Blum, a professor of engineering geology at Germany’s Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, calls the subsurface urban heat island.—
Vanessa Bates Ramirez,
Scientific American,
18 Feb. 2026
-
And although this recipe calls for the instant version of Cream of Wheat, using the regular will yield a pancake with a bit more of the very light crunch that won these beauts so many fans.—
Amy Drew Thompson,
The Orlando Sentinel,
18 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The knobs on the stove, the refrigerator handles, the drawer pulls, and the kitchen light switches all need a good scrub and disinfecting.—
Melissa Locker,
Southern Living,
16 Feb. 2026
-
For years, simple pine chests with large, circular knobs have been a dime a dozen at antique stores.—
Heather Bien,
Martha Stewart,
31 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Velzeboer's victory keeps the 1,000 title in Dutch hands.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 Feb. 2026
-
Their hands hold a banner with pillars of our democracy written on it, from peace and truth to expression and equity.—
Anya Sesay,
jsonline.com,
16 Feb. 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
-
Underlying indicators — top-third bat speed and sprint speed, along with a career-low chase rate — support the idea that his resurgence was driven by real adjustments rather than luck.—
Derek VanRiper,
New York Times,
18 Feb. 2026
-
Income inequality has expanded in a short timeframe, and various economic indicators – including rising delinquency rates – are flashing a warning sign.—
Alicia Wallace,
CNN Money,
18 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Markets and leverage DNA Funded offers over 800 financial instruments, including forex, indices, commodities, stocks and cryptocurrencies.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
19 Feb. 2026
-
In stock markets abroad, indexes fell in Europe after better performances in Asia.—
Stan Choe,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The house arrives with a pre-wired electrical system, which includes lighting, switches, sockets, and ventilation.—
Caroline Hughes,
Travel + Leisure,
11 Feb. 2026
-
This is evidenced by the array of dials, switches, and buttons that manage many of the key functions.—
Viju Mathew,
Robb Report,
10 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dials.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dials. Accessed 20 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
