as in edict
a statement of what to do that must be obeyed by those concerned
I only made the change at the author's behest
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 behest
Columbia waded into the rock vanguard after Davis attended the Monterey International Pop Festival in June 1967 at the behest of its organizer Lou Adler, whose Ode Records was distributed by CBS.
—
Chris Morris,
Variety,
22 June 2026
Russell made significant snips at the studio’s behest at the time, though the film still received an X rating.
—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
22 June 2026
At the behest of Strathie’s family, fans also honored the longtime Tartan Army member with rousing applause in the 76th minute.
—
Zack Cox,
Boston Herald,
20 June 2026
There is no distinction for a behest given to a charity with direct ties to the politician, but maybe there should be.
—
Los Angeles Times,
20 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for behest
Chris Morris,
Variety,
22 June 2026
Russell made significant snips at the studio’s behest at the time, though the film still received an X rating.
—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
22 June 2026
At the behest of Strathie’s family, fans also honored the longtime Tartan Army member with rousing applause in the 76th minute.
—
Zack Cox,
Boston Herald,
20 June 2026
There is no distinction for a behest given to a charity with direct ties to the politician, but maybe there should be.
—
Los Angeles Times,
20 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for behest
Recent Examples of Synonyms for behest
Noun
-
Getty Images for Ascot Racecourse The highly agile Getty shooter Alan Crowhurst has done us a great favor by bringing concrete cloakroom evidence of the many social and administrative challenges that the (famous) Royal Ascot costume edicts require in order to be properly met.
-
The memorandum includes a pledge by Iran to never purchase or construct nuclear weapons — a vow the Islamic Republic has made multiple times before, including by signing the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, in a religious edict issued by the late supreme leader and in the Obama-era nuclear accord.
Noun
-
Follow evacuation instructions without delay.
-
Supporters argued Judeo-Christian traditions are fundamental to the nation's founding and should be reflected in classroom instruction.
Noun
-
Entering this game, Senegal needed to win, and win big, in order to keep its World Cup dreams alive.
-
To combat bots, Ticketmaster, the primary ticketing platform for many concerts, blocks automated software, identifies and shuts down fake accounts and cancels orders that violate its policies.
Noun
-
Mercury stations retrograde in Cancer in your 3rd House of Communication, making texts, directions, calls, errands, and local plans easier to misread.
-
The election results have reignited an ideological battle over the party’s direction.
Noun
-
The attorneys general challenged several of its directives, including a provision that required state and local officials to collect proof of citizenship from vote-by-mail applicants.
-
The order follows a request from Kennedy Center President and CEO Matt Floca to extend a June 17 directive that gave the center three days to detail any immediate plans related to construction and other long-term initiatives.
Noun
-
The debtor then filed an adversary proceeding against both Raley and Antero for violating the bankruptcy automatic stay that went into effect when the debtor filed for bankruptcy, and also for violating the discharge injunction.
-
The injunction bars state police from enforcing the ban while the case moves forward.
Cite this Entry
“Behest.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/behest. Accessed 30 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
