dust 1 of 2

noun

ˈdəst How to pronounce dust (audio)
Definition of dustnext
1
as in debris
discarded or useless material the piles of dust that future archaeologists will sift through for insights into our civilization

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in soil
the solid part of our planet's surface as distinguished from the sea and air laid him out in the dust with one blow to the head

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dust

2 of 2

verb

as in to smoke
to defeat by a large margin the inexperienced sprinter somehow dusted the field of veterans

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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 dust
Noun
Halley’s comet completes one orbit around the sun about every 76 years, shedding dust and debris along the way. — Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 21 Oct. 2026 To the contractors’ credit, steps are being taken to mitigate the impact on the surrounding community, including installing dust and noise monitors on the site along with the use of sound blankets and noise barriers. — Curbed, 21 Oct. 2026
Verb
The other sweet addition features buttermilk biscuit dough that’s fried, dusted with sugar and served with caramel sauce for dipping. — Tanasia Kenney, Charlotte Observer, 1 Oct. 2026 Elderly couples surrounded us in somber ceremony, each of them in seats clustered close to one another, some holding hands, their fingers dusted in crumb cake. — Literary Hub, 30 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for dust
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dust
  1. debris
  2. soil
  3. smoke
  4. garbage
  5. land
  6. overcome
  7. trash
  8. ground
Noun
  • Avon Street remains closed from Merriman to Niagara Street as crews clear the roadway of debris.
    — Elle Meyers, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026
  • However, throwing it back over the fence could create another dispute, particularly if doing so amounts to dumping debris on your neighbor’s property.
    — Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of debris
Noun
  • Continuing to explore the hotel’s outdoor spaces, next up is the Almagra Rooftop, which gets its name from the originally Arabic word used to describe the typically reddish soil found in Seville.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Oct. 2026
  • The mangrove forest's mature trees and carbon-rich soils store earth warming greenhouse gases, said Marie Arnaud, a researcher at the French Sustainable Development Institute based at the Sorbonne University in Paris.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of soil
Verb
  • The demographics of patients are also distinct — for instance, women who have never smoked are more than twice as likely to get lung cancer as men who have never smoked.
    — Meeri Kim, Washington Post, 23 Oct. 2026
  • At least one witness told cops the teen was smoking marijuana on the train when Rodriguez confronted him about it, sparking an argument, but police have since discounted that theory, sources said.
    — Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of smoke
Noun
  • What makes a successful scooper Professional scoopers typically use basic tools like a rake, a dustpan lined with a garbage bag and a garden sprayer to sanitize tools in between jobs.
    — Kamaron McNair, CNBC, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Pan Yan The substance is integrated into a transparent, medium-sized insert designed to fit onto a garbage bin lid.
    — Maryna Holovnova, New Atlas, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of garbage
Noun
  • Especially if the ship is required to counter a mixture of threats from air, sea, and land.
    — Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 24 Oct. 2026
  • And the last independent country in that land before modern Israel, the one Rome conquered, was--wait for it--a Jewish nation.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of land
Verb
  • Experts who are part of consultations expect the new policy to lay down clear and consistent rules, which will also help the industry overcome challenges around land acquisition and simplify a fragmented approval process.
    — Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 22 Oct. 2026
  • The song addresses overcoming adversity and using others’ doubts to fuel your passion.
    — Melinda Newman, Billboard, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of overcome
Noun
  • There was ample physical evidence for the case against her, including DNA found on a latex glove that was in the same trash bag as Loofe’s remains.
    — Samantha Bergeson, Time, 22 Oct. 2026
  • For example, placing a cardboard box in the trash may normally be acceptable.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of trash
Noun
  • Electric flight enters policing Astro could give officers another way to monitor the university’s campus and surrounding grounds.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 21 Oct. 2026
  • The network, along with MS NOW and Politico, won a preliminary injunction in federal court last week, a blow to Trump’s effort to bar the outlets from the White House grounds.
    — Scott Nover, Washington Post, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of ground

Phrases Containing dust

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dusky
dust
dustbin
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Cite this Entry

“Dust.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dust. Accessed 26 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on dust

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about dust

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