Dial example sentences
Related (9): phone, call, number, contact, adjust, control, gauge, telephone, ring
"Dial" Example Sentences
Common Phrases
- dial a number
- dial back
- dial up
- dial tone
- dial the wrong number
- dial in
- speed dial
- rotary dial
- dial pad
Examples by Level
A1
- I dial my friend's number to call her.
- The clock dial shows the time.
A2
- She picked up the phone and started to dial, but then hung up.
- You can dial the temperature up or down on that thermostat.
B1
- I must have tried to dial that number a hundred times before someone finally answered.
- He told me to dial back my expectations because things weren't going to change overnight.
B2
- When she realized she'd dialed the wrong number, there was that awkward pause before she apologized and hung up.
- The pressure gauge's dial was climbing steadily, and nobody seemed concerned about it.
C1
- There's something oddly vulnerable about dialing someone's number and waiting for them to recognize your voice.
- The old rotary dial had become almost nostalgic — a relic of a time when you couldn't screen your calls.
C2
- She understood that some conversations required you to dial back your defensiveness, to meet someone halfway in the space between what you wanted to say and what they needed to hear.
- The instrument's dial trembled with each measurement, recording a story that nobody wanted to read.
Examples by Scenario
🏠 Everyday Life
- I dial my mom every Sunday, and she always picks up on the second ring like she's been waiting.
- The thermostat dial in the hallway is stuck, so the house is either freezing or boiling.
💼 Workplace
- When you need to reach the main office, just dial extension 201 and they'll transfer you.
- He had to dial back his frustration during the meeting, even though the client kept asking the same questions.
📊 Business
- The company decided to dial up their marketing budget after the last campaign performed so well.
- We need to dial in our strategy before the quarterly review next week.
🛒 Buying / Shopping
- I spent an hour trying to dial in the perfect water temperature for my new shower.
- The microwave dial is confusing — I can never figure out if I'm supposed to dial it clockwise or counterclockwise.
✈️ Travel
- When you arrive at the hotel, dial the front desk if you need anything at all.
- I had to dial my credit card company to report fraud while I was stuck in an airport in Denver.
📚 Education
- The teacher showed the students how to dial a rotary phone, and they thought it was ancient technology.
- You can dial back the difficulty level on that math software if you're struggling.
❤️ Relationships
- We got in a fight and I almost dialed his number a dozen times before I realized I was just going to make it worse.
- She knew she had to dial back her sarcasm around his family or they'd think she was being mean.
📰 News / Politics
- The senator's office released a statement asking supporters to dial their representatives about the new bill.
- Activists are calling on the government to dial back military spending in favor of social programs.
💻 Technology
- The app lets you dial any contact with just one tap instead of scrolling through your whole list.
- You can dial in your preferences so the algorithm learns what you actually want to see.
📝 Formal Writing
- Participants were instructed to dial the survey number and enter their responses using the numeric keypad.
- The study examined how individuals dial back their self-disclosure when interacting with unfamiliar audiences online.