How to Use dovetail in a Sentence

dovetail

1 of 2 noun
  • Apply a thin film of glue to the dovetails on the sides and ends of the tool box.
    — Bradley Ford, Popular Mechanics, 25 Feb. 2020
  • The techniques and tools used today to hand carve dovetail joints has changed little.
    — Timothy Dahl, Popular Mechanics, 29 Feb. 2016
  • The rear can be drifted in the dovetail that secures it to the barrel to adjust windage.
    — John B. Snow, Outdoor Life, 1 Apr. 2020
  • This kit also comes with an eight-piece template set, which should come in handy for the most common dovetail and hinge sizes.
    — Alex Rennie, Popular Mechanics, 15 Feb. 2023
  • That’s where the results of the poll on homelessness dovetail with the Youth Poll. Local governments in Southern California have poured billions of dollars in recent years into housing and services for the region’s homeless population.
    — Los Angeles Times, 3 Dec. 2021
  • Look for solid-wood pieces with clean lines and signs of thoughtful construction, such as dovetail joinery.
    — Tessa Cooper, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Apr. 2026
  • That means that the dovetails on either side of a corner form a sort of trapezoid and are connected by a slanted track.
    — Eric Limer, Popular Mechanics, 25 Apr. 2017
  • And keep an eye on it, as the mounts are known to walk on the 11mm dovetail traditionally found on airguns.
    — Joseph Albanese, Field & Stream, 2 Mar. 2021
  • The cabinets, painted a soft white cream, were built to last, with dovetail joinery and quality hardware.
    — James Alexander, courant.com, 27 July 2017
  • The panels are pre-sanded and the design features dovetail joints that slide together and lock in place for speedy assembly.
    — Jennifer Aldrich, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 Jan. 2021
  • The only subpar components on the pistol are the slide and dovetail protectors Glock refers to as sights.
    — Chris Mudgett, Outdoor Life, 11 Sep. 2020
  • The kitchen still has original counters made of old-growth Douglas fir and peach cabinetry with dovetail drawers and glass knobs.
    — oregonlive, 4 Dec. 2019
  • Though mass-produced, some stock cabinets are fairly durable, with dovetail joinery and full-extension drawer glides.
    — Monica Wang, Good Housekeeping, 17 Feb. 2023
  • The new Michigan data dovetails with other recent surveys that show ailing consumer health.
    — Rob Wile, NBC news, 10 Oct. 2025
  • Here the standard types of joint, such as mortise and tenon, tongue and groove, and dovetail, are developed with ingenious intricacy.
    — Michael J. Lewis, WSJ, 20 Apr. 2021
  • The pacing is tight, Oz has never looked better and the ties with Dorothy's tale dovetail satisfyingly.
    — Tommy McArdle, PEOPLE, 28 Oct. 2025
  • There's just something about old furniture that showcases wood with dovetail joinery and a perfect patina, evoking a cozy sense of nostalgia.
    — Tessa Cooper, Southern Living, 11 Mar. 2026
  • This rifle is drilled and tapped for Weaver-style bases instead of the not-as-solid dovetail mounts on many rimfires, and carries an externally adjustable trigger.
    — T. Edward Nickens, Field & Stream, 11 Sep. 2019
  • What makes An Awfully Big Adventure unique in her body of work is how perfectly both these features dovetail.
    — Christopher Tayler, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
  • Using dovetails and other old-fashioned woodcuts, Sebastian Errazuriz makes furniture that seems fresh, new, and even a bit on this side of living and breathing.
    — John Wenz, Popular Mechanics, 22 June 2015
  • Pay close attention to interior photos of drawers as well — Kirk says dovetail joints, a woodworking technique that interlocks two pieces of wood, are a sign of craftsmanship.
    — Hannah Holland, Washington Post, 17 Jan. 2023
  • Next, dovetail into the specific, observable behavior.
    — Julie Kratz, Forbes.com, 31 May 2026
  • Improvements in blood tests, meanwhile, dovetail with rapid developments in treatments for various cancers, making the disease ever more survivable or even curable.
    — Yuki Noguchi, NPR, 22 June 2026
  • Our experts have been impressed by the quality of IKEA's construction, which includes dovetail joinery and full-extension drawer glides.
    — Monica Wang, Good Housekeeping, 17 Feb. 2023
  • Chefs from across the country are moving here and making their mark with menus that dovetail tradition with innovation, while heavyweight restaurants from large cities are choosing Kennebunk/port as the first place to open new sibling iterations.
    — Alexandra Hall, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 May 2023
  • Moore connected with Cislaw, a magazine owner with a background in institutional finance, through a mutual friend who saw the dovetail in their respective professional endeavors.
    — Georgann Yara, The Arizona Republic, 21 Oct. 2021
  • The Times’ Malia Mendez sat down with members of the all-Filipino cast to discuss the ways the show’s exploration of the perils of authoritarianism dovetail with the modern political moment.
    — Arts Editor, Los Angeles Times, 20 Feb. 2026
  • The favorable comparisons to internet sweepstakes cafés drawn throughout the prospectus dovetail with recent reporting by The Australian Financial Review.
    — Daniel Wallach, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2025
  • Many of the details in the government’s case dovetail with those revealed in a 2012 Kansas City Star investigation, which found that Jones and other executives were living the good life.
    — Judy L. Thomas, Kansas City Star, 2 May 2026
  • Along the underside of the chassis' boxy fore-end is an integral ARCA rail, the 11⁄2-inch-wide dovetail that has become a default feature on most chassis rifles built for practical steel field matches.
    — John B. Snow, Outdoor Life, 12 Nov. 2020

dovetail

2 of 2 verb
  • Above, the sky is both beacon and omen, as dark clouds dovetail over a low sun.
    — Cate McQuaid, BostonGlobe.com, 23 Aug. 2022
  • The pop star’s Wednesday song dovetails with her cameo in the show.
    — Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 3 Sep. 2025
  • Here, the space neatly dovetails with the cooking spot and has enough room for a few stools.
    — Jessica Bennett, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Aug. 2022
  • That dovetailed with Smart’s message.
    — Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 26 Feb. 2026
  • That growth dovetails with fresh ways golfers are presenting themselves on the course.
    — Mike Dojc, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
  • Dugan was on board with the idea, which dovetailed nicely with the evolving mission of the show.
    — Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 23 Mar. 2023
  • Over the years, my efforts to add to my knowledge tackle box dovetailed with my study of nature.
    — Jordan Rodriguez, Idaho Statesman, 11 Feb. 2024
  • And this is where Cross’s path begins to dovetail with McLeod’s again.
    — The Indianapolis Star, 17 Aug. 2022
  • The changes dovetail with the rising status of pets in society.
    — David Grimm, Science | AAAS, 26 Oct. 2020
  • These findings dovetail with a gloomy Pew survey published last month.
    — Ishaan Tharoor, Washington Post, 18 Mar. 2024
  • Ambitious player signings have dovetailed with bold steps off the pitch.
    — Megan Feringa, New York Times, 17 June 2026
  • The fresh flavors dovetail with the lightness of spring, the season when all things—even color schemes—are new again.
    — Krissa Rossbund, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Sep. 2022
  • This then dovetails into your finances and estate planning needs.
    — Nathan Bachrach and Amy Wagner, Cincinnati.com, 18 Dec. 2019
  • This trend also dovetails with the years-long embrace of more high-protein diets and eating plans.
    — NBC News, 14 Nov. 2019
  • For Rising, his misfortune and some good timing dovetailed to put him here.
    — Brian Hamilton, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025
  • Even though the two women grew up in different environments, their world views very much dovetailed.
    — Selena Fragassi, SPIN, 16 June 2026
  • In the last few seasons, that maturity on the court has dovetailed with a growing leadership role off it.
    — Douglas Robson, Los Angeles Times, 11 Mar. 2026
  • If that happens to dovetail with something that is good for the likes of any other Republican, that's fine.
    — Chris Cillizza, CNN, 26 Oct. 2021
  • Skin care is a big category for Harnett, which also dovetails with her passions.
    — James Manso, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 2019
  • The vision is primed to keep expanding, dovetailing with a number of upcoming events.
    — Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 1 Feb. 2026
  • That will dovetail with the promenade being built on the closed section of River, Bauer said.
    — Steve Lord, chicagotribune.com, 5 July 2021
  • Snack season might dovetail with school and sports for some families, but for an increasing number of us, snacks and small meals are the new normal.
    — Kristine M. Kierzek, Journal Sentinel, 27 Sep. 2022
  • The executive says the puzzles will continue and will even dovetail with plotlines in the new series.
    — Brian Steinberg, Variety, 22 Sep. 2021
  • The move would dovetail with President Joe Biden’s efforts to push electric car sales.
    — David R. Baker, Fortune, 24 Aug. 2022
  • But last May, it was overhauled to dovetail with the platform’s artist-empowerment focus.
    — Dan Rys, Billboard, 8 Dec. 2023
  • The timing dovetails nicely with the transformation of the arena.
    — Josh Robbins, New York Times, 28 May 2026
  • Those views dovetailed with both political needs and Protestant beliefs of the moment.
    — Samira Mehta, The Conversation, 6 May 2026
  • The transportation grid would dovetail with regional bus routes, transit and roads in ways that reduce traffic overall.
    — Tony Semerad, The Salt Lake Tribune, 4 May 2021
  • That dovetails with recent FlexJobs data finding that most companies would even take a pay cut to work a remote job.
    — Jane Thier, Fortune, 26 Dec. 2023
  • Acknowledging and talking through differences is the running theme, which dovetails with a plot that goes to the roots of Zootopia.
    — Jake Coyle, Boston Herald, 26 Nov. 2025

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'dovetail.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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