How to Use dial in a Sentence

dial

1 of 2 noun
Definition of dialnext
Synonyms for dialnext
  • I had to keep adjusting the radio dial to make the station come in clearly.
  • The small wheel at the center of the dial is an alarm that can be set.
    — Jerry L. Dobesh | For The Oregonian/oregonlive, oregonlive, 5 Dec. 2022
  • Set the dial to Bravo Sunday is of course the day of the Lord.
    — Jessica Roy, Los Angeles Times, 3 Nov. 2023
  • Yes, there were focus groups and dial tests in the past.
    — Emmet McDermott, The Hollywood Reporter, 4 May 2023
  • Imagine that the weight of the coin is controlled by a dial.
    — Quanta Magazine, 18 Dec. 2023
  • And for the first time in this collection, the time-telling hands are found in the dead center of the dial.
    — Elizabeth Doerr, Robb Report, 20 Oct. 2023
  • The gas burner clicks on with an easy-to-use dial, and the flame emanates from the left side.
    — June Kim, Bon Appétit, 15 Dec. 2022
  • The best part is that it can all be done with the click of a button—no finicky dials or levers.
    — Jenna Clark, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Sep. 2023
  • To use it, turn the dial at the top to the plus symbol, then select a heat setting.
    — Isabel Garcia, Peoplemag, 9 Dec. 2023
  • Next, open the hose faucet all the way and read the water pressure on the gauge’s needle dial.
    — Joseph Truini, Popular Mechanics, 16 Feb. 2023
  • Perhaps a dial, like the one on the primo Google Nest, could have helped.
    — Drew Millard, The Atlantic, 16 Feb. 2023
  • It’s got a soft leather strap and a classic black dial with rose gold time marks.
    — Claire Rutter, Rolling Stone, 19 Oct. 2023
  • What to Consider There’s no dial at the back for fine-tuning the fit.
    — Maggie Slepian, Travel + Leisure, 22 Nov. 2023
  • Rolex Paul Newman Daytona with a lemon dial and gold case in the spring.
    — Carol Besler, Robb Report, 5 Jan. 2023
  • Vertical rows of grain-set diamonds wrap around the sides of the case and frame the dial.
    — Carol Besler, Robb Report, 18 Apr. 2023
  • One day, his mother brought home a faux fireplace that turned on with a dial.
    — Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 20 July 2023
  • The launch edition of the Odysseus Chronograph, cased in steel with a black dial, is limited to just 100 pieces.
    — WIRED, 29 Mar. 2023
  • Instructions are just as easy as the dials and controls (which are lit up and easy to see in low-light).
    — Rennie Dyball, Peoplemag, 22 Sep. 2023
  • Damp Squibs: Some of the anticipated shocks could be too small to move the dial.
    — Anna Wong, Fortune, 1 Oct. 2023
  • Sharply contrasting all the white, the sizable dial is finished in a bold black hue.
    — Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 5 June 2023
  • Gosling fidgets with the board’s knobs and dials as Ronson watches.
    — Thania Garcia, Variety, 20 Dec. 2023
  • The dial on economic growth is unlikely to move much in the next couple of years.
    — Ryan Hogg, Fortune Europe, 1 Dec. 2023
  • Ram puts a small transmission dial on the center stack near the volume knob.
    — Steven Ewing, Car and Driver, 25 Dec. 2022
  • Eye-cup adjustments are tight and positive; the focus wheel is easy and smooth; and the diopter dial locks in place.
    — Dave Hurteau, Field & Stream, 10 May 2023
  • Hublot leans into the concept like no other brand, though, with more gems in more places - not just the bezel, but also the case, bracelet and dial.
    — Carol Besler, Forbes, 23 Jan. 2023
  • The same blue leather adorns the steering wheel, with a 12-o'clock marker in Cayon matching the accents on the dials, SportChrono clock, and stitching.
    — Caleb Miller, Car and Driver, 29 June 2023
  • There are six length guards included and a rotary dial to adjust the blade length.
    — Men's Health, 14 Feb. 2023
  • The mist output is controlled via a dial, and the amount coming out corresponds with the settings.
    — Lauren Manaker Ms, Rdn, Health, 22 Mar. 2023
  • Sword hands and inset day and date dials give the Corso an appearance well above its price point.
    — Brad Lanphear, menshealth.com, 14 May 2023
  • And because the dial was irregular, the numbers weren't at the standard places.
    — Oscar Holland, CNN, 24 Apr. 2023
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dial

2 of 2 verb
  • I'm sorry. I must have dialed the wrong number.
  • On the first play of the drive, Kelly dialed up a play-action pass.
    — Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 4 Sep. 2023
  • Shanahan dialed up the trick play in a moment in which the team needed to break through.
    — Danny Emerman, The Mercury News, 12 Feb. 2024
  • Coen will dial up plenty of sets this call for two tight ends on the field.
    — Ryan Black, The Courier-Journal, 24 May 2023
  • The style his runway favorites walk in with is often just dialed up for the show.
    — Arden Fanning Andrews, Vogue, 10 Feb. 2024
  • The ruling somewhat dialed back a Texas court, which had argued the FDA should not have approved the drug in the first place.
    — Karen Weintraub, USA TODAY, 18 Aug. 2023
  • The fit-on-the-fly hip belt is designed for a contoured fit that can be dialed in for varying waist sizes.
    — Kevin Brouillard, Travel + Leisure, 26 Sep. 2023
  • Feel free to dial up the heat and ginger until your eyes water.
    — Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 1 May 2023
  • Black cabinetry and handmade tile dial up the drama in the bar area.
    — Sally Finder Weepie, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 Aug. 2023
  • Armed groups, already active in Port-au-Prince, dialed up the violence in the last year.
    — Char Adams, NBC News, 28 Mar. 2024
  • This allows Musk to further dial up the pain without swinging to a loss.
    — Christiaan Hetzner, Fortune, 3 May 2023
  • But he's been hurt at least once in all four of his NFL seasons, and his freestyle tendencies need to be dialed down.
    — Jeremy Cluff, The Arizona Republic, 5 June 2023
  • Hathaway, styled as usual by Erin Walsh, dialed up the look’s drama with the jewels.
    — Kathleen Walsh, Glamour, 7 Nov. 2023
  • The perro caliente, or Colombia-style hot dog, dials up this tension even more.
    — Tim Carman, Washington Post, 10 July 2023
  • The prosecutor, the caseworker and a new judge all dialed in.
    — Jessica Lussenhop, ProPublica, 15 June 2023
  • But callers dialing from a local area code will reach an Alaskan on the other end of the line who is ready to listen.
    — Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority, Anchorage Daily News, 11 May 2023
  • McVey rocked the 42 mm edition, which features a green sunray dial with a date window at 3 o’clock.
    — Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 19 Oct. 2023
  • The witness dialed 911 as the attacker walked toward his locked front door.
    — Kathleen Foody, arkansasonline.com, 29 Mar. 2024
  • Those with a non-Alaska area code who dial 988 will be routed to the call center nearest their area code.
    — Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority, Anchorage Daily News, 26 May 2023
  • There are several sizes from which to choose, and there will be a fitting process to dial down the ring option for your fingers.
    — Julian Chokkattu, WIRED, 26 Feb. 2024
  • The Fed expects to dial back its inflation fight by cutting rates this year.
    — Max Zahn, ABC News, 11 Jan. 2024
  • At the same time, lenders were rapidly dialing back the credit spigot that had been running freely.
    — Shawn Tully, Fortune, 30 May 2023
  • Everybody has to be dialed in, know what coach is thinking.
    — Chris Bumbaca, USA TODAY, 16 June 2023
  • With the couple's sons, Neri and Brando, now in charge, the clubbish feel has been dialed back to make the atmosphere more inclusive.
    — Lee Marshall, Travel + Leisure, 14 May 2023
  • Minutes later, the caller again dialed 911 to report that a struggle ensued and that the caller was now in the back of the van that had just been stolen by the suspect.
    — Nicole Lopez, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Feb. 2024
  • Relief isn’t in sight, as the monks have no plans to dial up production, despite high demand.
    — Teresa Nowakowski, Smithsonian Magazine, 24 Apr. 2023
  • This will dial up the pressure to exploit new water sources of all varieties.
    — Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 25 Jan. 2024
  • After all, there are plenty of remote roles around the world to choose from that the laptop class can dial into from their living rooms.
    — Jane Thier, Fortune, 7 Dec. 2023
  • That may include dialing things back and going dormant for a while.
    — Byjessica Mathews, Fortune, 19 Oct. 2023
  • Driving under a fast-moving wall cloud, Straw is dialed in.
    — Luke Johnson, The Indianapolis Star, 20 Apr. 2023

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'dial.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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