reset the dial
To change something radically; to reform or revolutionize something.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“We need to reset the dial on our project to make it better.”
“The new manager decided to reset the dial on company policy to improve how the team works together.”
“Faced with declining public trust, the administration attempted to reset the dial on their legislative agenda by introducing a series of bold, transformative reforms.”
- 01
dial back
To reduce (one's energy or intensity); to restrain (a feeling or action).
- 02
dial down
To reduce or diminish in effect or intensity.
- 03
dial towards
To be oriented towards, to be figuratively moving in the direction of or aiming at a conclusion.
- 04
pocket dial
A situation in which one's cellphone makes a call from one's pocket when its buttons are inadvertently pressed.
- 05
shift the dial
To make a significant change or impact in a particular situation or context.
Last updated August 10, 2026