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
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
Taylor Nicioli, CNN, 24 Feb. 2025
Plus, the screen shows the battery level and how full the dust cup is in real time.
—Isabel Garcia, People.com, 20 Feb. 2025
David Nikel, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2025
Slivers of olive flounder are dusted with nutty dry miso and fanned out onto an eye-widening sauce made from yuzu and ponzu.
—Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 20 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dust
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Noun
After Blue Ghost lands on the moon, the instruments will operate for more than two weeks to collect data primarily on the moon’s subsurface, such as lunar dust and regolith, the loose rocks and mineral fragments that cover the lunar surface.
—Taylor Nicioli, CNN, 24 Feb. 2025
Plus, the screen shows the battery level and how full the dust cup is in real time.
—Isabel Garcia, People.com, 20 Feb. 2025
Verb
The neo-Gothic Kristiansand Cathedral is particularly atmospheric in winter, with its towering spires often dusted in snow.
—David Nikel, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2025
Slivers of olive flounder are dusted with nutty dry miso and fanned out onto an eye-widening sauce made from yuzu and ponzu.
—Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 20 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dust
Cite this Entry
“Dust.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dust. Accessed 1 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
dust
1 of 2 noun1
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 verb1
: 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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