as in to order
to request the doing of by virtue of one's authority
dictated that the terms of surrender be negotiated by his senior staff
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in order
a statement of what to do that must be obeyed by those concerned
a starchily worded dictate from on high concerning the company's dress code
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of dictate
Marni Rose McFall, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 June 2025
With less than three months to go, the nonprofit social service club announced in a Facebook post that the event will have more safety requirements than in previous years, some of which are being dictated by the city.
—Tess Kenny, Chicago Tribune, 10 June 2025
Jessie Sage, Rolling Stone, 14 Dec. 2024
Too many leaders seek to lead down by being authoritative, by pushing dictates on people and relentlessly driving forward toward arbitrary goals and deadlines.
—Andrew Deutscher, Forbes.com, 9 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dictate
Verb
There is a growing trend of federal officers wearing masks during arrests, something which has raised concerns over potential harm to bystanders and communities, though there is no federal policy dictating when officers can, or should, cover their faces during arrests.
—Marni Rose McFall, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 June 2025
With less than three months to go, the nonprofit social service club announced in a Facebook post that the event will have more safety requirements than in previous years, some of which are being dictated by the city.
—Tess Kenny, Chicago Tribune, 10 June 2025
Noun
OnlyFans models are independent creators who, for the most part, run their businesses according to their own dictates.
—Jessie Sage, Rolling Stone, 14 Dec. 2024
Too many leaders seek to lead down by being authoritative, by pushing dictates on people and relentlessly driving forward toward arbitrary goals and deadlines.
—Andrew Deutscher, Forbes.com, 9 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dictate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dictate
Verb
-
The last time a president called in the National Guard without a governor’s cooperation was in 1965, when Lyndon B. Johnson ordered troops to protect civil rights demonstrators in Alabama.—
Lia Russell,
Sacbee.com,
9 June 2025
-
Helen's Tomato Pie Senior Digital News Editor Rebecca Baer heads to one of downtown Birmingham’s most popular restaurants, Helen, each summer to order their beloved Tomato Pie.—
Mary Shannon Wells,
Southern Living,
8 June 2025
Noun
-
The only instructions for the theater audience that night will be to get their butts in the seats before curtain.—
Lynette Rice,
Deadline,
6 June 2025
-
Residents were advised to heed official warnings throughout the severe weather cycle and stay alert for any additional storm advisories or emergency instructions.—
Barney Henderson,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 June 2025
Verb
-
On June 4, lawyers for the 27-year-old rapper and Twitch streamer – born Darryl Dwayne Granberry Jr. – requested a temporary emergency order in Los Angeles Superior Court, according to a filing reviewed by USA TODAY.—
KiMi Robinson,
USA Today,
6 June 2025
-
Officials discussed requesting state and county funding for future recreation opportunities.—
Tammy Murga,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
6 June 2025
Verb
-
Seyfried asked Brody of the next film, who said he hadn’t been contacted about the project but noted that his character died.—
Matt Donnelly,
Variety,
9 June 2025
-
Giselle, a cheery woman in her forties from Yorkshire, England, asked.—
Jennifer Wilson,
New Yorker,
9 June 2025
Noun
-
Ball State University and Ivy Tech Community College have already eliminated DEI programs in response to GOP edicts.—
Post-Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
31 May 2025
-
However, in keeping with a new edict from the chancellor and his new government, tangible details of that deal were not forthcoming.—
Sebastian Shukla,
CNN Money,
28 May 2025
Verb
-
The lightweight, saltwater-resistant, carbon-fiber unit can easily transform any transom into a personal tee box in less than 10 minutes, with no retrofitting required.—
Nicole Hoey,
Robb Report,
10 June 2025
-
Effectively, people can buy the tech, know how, and assets required to set up a DIY piracy store.—
Stewart Clarke,
Deadline,
10 June 2025
Noun
-
Holden praised Indicator, citing their focused direction and curation.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
7 June 2025
-
His regular-season numbers are astonishing, but so are his postseason stats… in the opposite direction.—
Ryan Morik,
FOXNews.com,
7 June 2025
Noun
-
The nationwide turmoil stemmed from Immigration and Customs Enforcement sweeps to detain immigrants living in the United States without legal status under the directive of President Donald Trump.—
Melina Khan,
USA Today,
12 June 2025
-
Presumably, there will be a clear directive from the new boss to utilise these games to implement his tactics and kick off his tenure with a signature win.—
Brett Koremenos,
New York Times,
12 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dictate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dictate. Accessed 20 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share