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
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Recent Examples of dictate
Dj Simmons, Charlotte Observer, 28 May 2026
Policy alone does not dictate behavior, Strong said, so a shift in culture is necessary.
—Sierra Van Der Brug, Daily News, 28 May 2026
Tim Spiers, New York Times, 5 May 2026
Its core principle is that when convenience dictates or necessity requires, a country must allow the people, goods and vessels of other nations to pass through its territory for a journey that begins and ends elsewhere.
—Vivek Krishnamurthy, The Conversation, 5 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for dictate
Verb
The law prevents cities from enacting ordinances that dictate wage levels or working hours for employers.
—Dj Simmons, Charlotte Observer, 28 May 2026
Policy alone does not dictate behavior, Strong said, so a shift in culture is necessary.
—Sierra Van Der Brug, Daily News, 28 May 2026
Noun
Here’s what the rulebook dictates… and what Wellens actually said.
—Tim Spiers, New York Times, 5 May 2026
Its core principle is that when convenience dictates or necessity requires, a country must allow the people, goods and vessels of other nations to pass through its territory for a journey that begins and ends elsewhere.
—Vivek Krishnamurthy, The Conversation, 5 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for dictate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dictate
Verb
-
One person just ordered three for the summer months since the fabric is durable and keeps its shape even after multiple washes.—
Ali Faccenda,
InStyle,
24 May 2026
-
In addition to ordering Gonzalez to stay at least 100 yards away from Avery and their 7-year-old daughter, Lavender, the judge barred her from talking about the case on social media.—
Jessica Schladebeck,
New York Daily News,
23 May 2026
Noun
-
Fiebig banged their stick against the goal post at one point, frustrated, but continued to shout instruction and encouragement.—
Andrew Carter,
Chicago Tribune,
24 May 2026
-
They were briefly allowed to return to their apartment that evening, only to receive instructions to leave again early Friday.—
Eric Licas,
Los Angeles Times,
23 May 2026
Verb
-
The Coast Guard is requesting permission from Bahamian authorities to allow divers to re-search the sea, the official added.—
Marlene Lenthang,
NBC news,
28 May 2026
-
One attorney received pushback from ADC when the attorney requested funding for a second paralegal to help sift through thousands of pages of discovery in a murder case, Rosen said.—
Shelly Bradbury,
Denver Post,
27 May 2026
Verb
-
Researchers asked where knives were kept, how to light matches, what kinks are.—
Noelle Harff,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
29 May 2026
-
This source of damage is easily avoided by purchasing manure and hay from a reputable source and asking if the source material was treated with aminopyralid.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
29 May 2026
Noun
-
The edict that journalists be accompanied at all times while on Pentagon grounds was introduced in March after a judge struck down an earlier set of restrictions.—
Scott Nover,
Washington Post,
18 May 2026
-
The Chargers’ last game was a playoff loss to Vrabel’s Patriots, so nothing short of an edict from the NFL probably would have stopped the franchise’s social media team from referencing the Vrabel-Russini controversy.—
Senior Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
The company says its selection approach is driven by performance data, with every title required to show active audience traction rather than simply occupying catalog space.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
26 May 2026
-
Unlike sun-loving tomatoes, peppers, squash, and cucumbers, which require full sunlight to mature and produce fruit, vegetables that grow in the shade are primarily grown for their leaves or roots.—
Rita Pelczar,
Better Homes & Gardens,
26 May 2026
Noun
-
In true Swiss fashion, Wengen features a number of chalet-style homes, snowcapped mountains, and bucolic scenes in nearly every direction.—
Lydia Mansel,
Travel + Leisure,
25 May 2026
-
The average song length is around four minutes, and each one covers so much ground, changes direction so suddenly, and welcomes so many lyrical interpretations, that each of them can feel like the centerpiece, the moment where the central action takes place.—
Sam Sodomsky,
Pitchfork,
24 May 2026
Noun
-
For example, this line is a directive to Claude and indicates that the AI should aim to leverage accurate information regarding mental health aspects.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
27 May 2026
-
Following the Vlast report, D’Uva has sought to distance itself from the controversy, telling the press that any directives to remove Machine were issued by a specialist who was not authorized to make such decisions.—
Tessa Solomon,
ARTnews.com,
26 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dictate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dictate. Accessed 30 May. 2026.
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