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
The latest dust-up came at a Democratic event with top state officials, and video of the event is now playing on Elci’s Facebook page as a 30-second advertisement. — Christopher Keating, Hartford Courant, 14 Oct. 2026 The restaurant cart alongside it displays a dust buster, an industrial mixer, and a bucket of vintage Altoids containers. — Anne Kadet, Curbed, 14 Oct. 2026
Verb
Pan puri shots come with billowing smoke, and lamb chops are dusted in 24-karat gold. — Kansas City Star, 25 Sep. 2026 But even with that loss, the 2024 Dolphins team dusted itself off and finished the season by winning six of its last nine games. — Chris Perkins, Sun Sentinel, 24 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
  • Hours after the collapse in Peshawar, the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, emergency services spokesperson Bilal Faizi said that everyone trapped beneath the rubble had been pulled out and crews had cleared debris.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 16 Oct. 2026
  • The hurricane had headed for the interior and Palm Beach was already clearing its debris.
    — Gerald R. Hunter, Outdoor Life, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of debris
Noun
  • Obviously, the network of partners and proxies did not deter an attack on Iranian soil.
    — Ali Vaez, Foreign Affairs, 15 Oct. 2026
  • The work raises new questions about soil, carbon, and even what counts as an individual organism.
    — Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of soil
Verb
  • About 80% of lung cancers occur in people who smoke or have smoked, said Robinson, who has not treated the pope.
    — Angelica Stabile, FOXNews.com, 16 Oct. 2026
  • An increasing number of lung cancer diagnoses are among people who never smoked.
    — Estelamari Rodriguez, Fortune, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of smoke
Noun
  • Prosecutors said Aurora was one of seven children, ages 2 months to 17 years, who lived in an east San José house on Lancelot Lane that was filled with cockroaches, pet feces, garbage and mold.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Clean your car full of garbage elsewhere and don’t hold up a line of customers.
    — Ticked Off, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of garbage
Noun
  • Submarine’s combat capabilities tested The launches demonstrated the submarine’s ability to engage targets at sea and on land while operating underwater in the Pacific Ocean.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Herds of cows waded across flooded pastures as ranchers guided them toward dry land.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of land
Verb
  • For now, the study identifies a previously underappreciated part of the immune system that could help overcome one of SCLC’s most persistent defenses.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 15 Oct. 2026
  • But Gordon has emerged as Miami’s clear lead back, capable of overcoming a poor situation.
    — Dalton Del Don, New York Times, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of overcome
Noun
  • Officers in riot gear clashed with youths who set up street barricades using burning trash bins.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 14 Oct. 2026
  • In another demonstration, Argon helped a Boston Dynamics Spot robot practice opening a foot-pedal trash bin in simulation before attempting the task with physical objects.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 13 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 21 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on dust

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about dust

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