1
: fine particles of matter (as of earth)
2
: the particles into which something disintegrates
3
a
: something worthless
b
: a state of humiliation
4
a
: the earth especially as a place of burial
b
: the surface of the ground
5
a
: a cloud of dust
b
6
archaic : a single particle (as of earth)
7
British : refuse ready for collection
dusted; dusting; dusts
1
archaic : to make dusty
2
: to make free of dust
dust the living room
3
a
: to sprinkle with fine particles
a cake dusted with sugar
b
: to sprinkle in the form of dust
4
: to throw a fastball close to (a batter) : brush back
—often used with off
5
: to defeat badly (as in a race)
1
of a bird : to work dust into the feathers
2
: to remove dust
3
: to give off dust
Synonyms of dust
Examples of dust in a Sentence
Noun The floor was covered with dust. You can see the dust particles floating through the air. There is not a speck of dust in that house. As the car sped down the dirt road, it left a cloud of dust behind. He wiped the chalk dust off his hands. Verb I dust at least once a week. Dust the pan with flour. The crops will be dusted with pesticide.
Recent Examples on the Web
Julian Lucas, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026 For instance, a concrete bridge is there forever until it is smashed into dust. —Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 20 Apr. 2026
Kelly McCarthy, ABC News, 20 Apr. 2026 The item features chicken nuggets breaded with tortilla chip crumbs and dusted with seasoning made with its own Diablo Sauce, the news release said. —Fielding Buck, Oc Register, 15 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for dust
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.
Noun
Because of the speed of revolution, a single grain of dust can be enough to strip the magnetic film and obliterate the underlying data. —Julian Lucas, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026 For instance, a concrete bridge is there forever until it is smashed into dust. —Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 20 Apr. 2026
Verb
The Milk Bar Pie Doughnut resembles Tosi's signature Milk Bar Pie and is made with an unglazed shell doughnut filled with buttery pie filling, dipped in caramel icing and rolled in oat cookie topping, then dusted with a sweet, powdered coating. —Kelly McCarthy, ABC News, 20 Apr. 2026 The item features chicken nuggets breaded with tortilla chip crumbs and dusted with seasoning made with its own Diablo Sauce, the news release said. —Fielding Buck, Oc Register, 15 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for dust
Cite this Entry
“Dust.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.grautoblog.com/dictionary/dust. Accessed 24 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
dust
1 of 2 noun
1
a
: fine dry powdery particles (as of earth)
b
: a fine powder
2
: the powdery remains of bodies once alive
3
: something worthless
4
: the surface of the ground
dust
2 of 2 verb
1
: to make free of dust : brush or wipe away dust
dusted the living room
2
: to sprinkle with dust or as a dust
dust a pan with flour
dust insecticide on plants
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