telephone

[tel-uh-fohn] / ˈtɛl əˌfoʊn /

VERB

communicate through telephone system

Synonyms

STRONGEST

call up contact dial phone

STRONG

buzz call ring

WEAK

get back to get on the horn get on the line give a call give a jingle give a ring make a call pick up put a call through ring up touch base with

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Alexander Graham Bell’s 1876 patent for the telephone beat rival Elisha Gray by hours, sparking a contentious legal battle.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 24, 2026

For society, the telephone collapsed a massive continent into a single, interconnected neighborhood.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 24, 2026

Several Republican and Democratic congressional staffers I spoke with tell me their telephone calls from constituents demanding Congress take action against Trump are becoming more frequent.

From Salon • Apr. 17, 2026

And then there were the signs, stuck on stakes, posted on telephone poles, taped to mailboxes all over the hill.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 16, 2026

There is no way to choose your telephone operator.

From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse

Vocabulary lists containing telephone

Common Senses: Phon ("Sound")

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The Industrial Revolution - Introductory

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Journalism

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