dictated; dictating
1
: to utter words to be transcribed : to give dictation
dictate for the stenographer
2
: to speak or act domineeringly : prescribe
resents being dictated to
1
: to speak or read for a person to transcribe or for a machine to record
dictating a letter to her secretary
2
a
: to issue as an order
b
: to impose, pronounce, or specify authoritatively
dictate the terms of surrender
… the league will dictate policy for all teams …—
Alex Yannis
Alex Yannis
c
: to require or determine necessarily
injuries dictated the choice of players
The weather will dictate how long we stay.
1
a
: an authoritative rule, prescription, or injunction
the dictates of the party
b
: a ruling principle
according to the dictates of your conscience
2
: a command by one in authority
papal dictates
Synonyms
Examples of dictate in a Sentence
Verb
She's dictating a letter to her secretary.
They insisted on being able to dictate the terms of surrender.
Tradition dictates that the youngest member should go first.
The basket's function dictates its size and shape.
Noun
a starchily worded dictate from on high concerning the company's dress code
Recent Examples on the WebOwen Gleiberman, Variety, 27 Apr. 2024
European leaders cannot afford to let American political dysfunction dictate European security.
—Alex Crowther, Foreign Affairs, 22 Apr. 2024
The improvement got to the point where Maurice gave Tkachuk occasional minutes on the penalty kill when situations dictated it and had comfort with Tkachuk on the ice when the opponent pulls the goalie late in games for an extra attacker.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 22 Apr. 2024
The Avs got off to an extremely fast start, dictating play for most of the opening eight minutes.
—Corey Masisak, The Denver Post, 21 Apr. 2024
With a landmark legal settlement poised to upend a decades-old norm that has dictated who pays real estate agents and how much, economists, agents and lenders are beginning to worry that the burden could now be on first-time home buyers.
—Eduardo Medina Eduardo Medina, New York Times, 18 Apr. 2024
In her ruling, the judge accepted the shareholder lawyers' argument that Musk personally dictated the landmark pay package in sham negotiations with directors who were not independent.
—Kate Gibson, CBS News, 17 Apr. 2024
They are considered safe when administered by licensed health care providers who meet medical control standards as dictated by the FDA.
—Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 16 Apr. 2024
One of the objectives in Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley involves removing signs dictating how the park must be enjoyed.
—Laurence Russell, WIRED, 16 Apr. 2024
John Hopewell, Variety, 6 Mar. 2024
The key is to identify the print that fits your MO, regardless of what the trend du jour dictates.
—Ashley W. Simpson, Robb Report, 20 Feb. 2024
His return could also depend on what the open market dictates.
—Brian Wacker, Baltimore Sun, 15 Feb. 2024
But Tehran is not the puppet master, and the axis’s coherence and regional role reflects far more than Iran’s dictates.
—Narges Bajoghli, Foreign Affairs, 17 Jan. 2024
Instead of specifying that the decisions, such as end-of-life, funeral, and burial arrangements, be handled in accordance with the dictates of a specified faith (a specification that will offend or upset other family or loved ones), consider a different approach.
—Martin Shenkman, Forbes, 20 Feb. 2024
Surprisingly enough, none of the men object to her dictates about dining and bedtimes.
—Joe Leydon, Variety, 3 Jan. 2024
Artists with the courage to challenge institutional dictates; music that felt small and real and occasionally unpresentable.
—Amanda Petrusich, The New Yorker, 4 Dec. 2023
New York joins California and Illinois at the forefront of reparations efforts, a complicated endeavor that will immerse stakeholders in a contentious political and budgetary conversation about the past and its dictates for the future.
—Luis Ferré-Sadurní, New York Times, 19 Dec. 2023
Verb
An emergency decree by the UN has dictated that every country will have one year to meet its population-reduction goal, which is to cull 20 percent of its people.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 27 Apr. 2024
European leaders cannot afford to let American political dysfunction dictate European security.
—Alex Crowther, Foreign Affairs, 22 Apr. 2024
The improvement got to the point where Maurice gave Tkachuk occasional minutes on the penalty kill when situations dictated it and had comfort with Tkachuk on the ice when the opponent pulls the goalie late in games for an extra attacker.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 22 Apr. 2024
The Avs got off to an extremely fast start, dictating play for most of the opening eight minutes.
—Corey Masisak, The Denver Post, 21 Apr. 2024
With a landmark legal settlement poised to upend a decades-old norm that has dictated who pays real estate agents and how much, economists, agents and lenders are beginning to worry that the burden could now be on first-time home buyers.
—Eduardo Medina Eduardo Medina, New York Times, 18 Apr. 2024
In her ruling, the judge accepted the shareholder lawyers' argument that Musk personally dictated the landmark pay package in sham negotiations with directors who were not independent.
—Kate Gibson, CBS News, 17 Apr. 2024
They are considered safe when administered by licensed health care providers who meet medical control standards as dictated by the FDA.
—Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 16 Apr. 2024
One of the objectives in Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley involves removing signs dictating how the park must be enjoyed.
—Laurence Russell, WIRED, 16 Apr. 2024
Noun
Following, five of the best: Regulate Flexible Release Windows
For three decades, these have been decided by industry consensus, unlike legal dictates in France, for example.
—John Hopewell, Variety, 6 Mar. 2024
The key is to identify the print that fits your MO, regardless of what the trend du jour dictates.
—Ashley W. Simpson, Robb Report, 20 Feb. 2024
His return could also depend on what the open market dictates.
—Brian Wacker, Baltimore Sun, 15 Feb. 2024
But Tehran is not the puppet master, and the axis’s coherence and regional role reflects far more than Iran’s dictates.
—Narges Bajoghli, Foreign Affairs, 17 Jan. 2024
Instead of specifying that the decisions, such as end-of-life, funeral, and burial arrangements, be handled in accordance with the dictates of a specified faith (a specification that will offend or upset other family or loved ones), consider a different approach.
—Martin Shenkman, Forbes, 20 Feb. 2024
Surprisingly enough, none of the men object to her dictates about dining and bedtimes.
—Joe Leydon, Variety, 3 Jan. 2024
Artists with the courage to challenge institutional dictates; music that felt small and real and occasionally unpresentable.
—Amanda Petrusich, The New Yorker, 4 Dec. 2023
New York joins California and Illinois at the forefront of reparations efforts, a complicated endeavor that will immerse stakeholders in a contentious political and budgetary conversation about the past and its dictates for the future.
—Luis Ferré-Sadurní, New York Times, 19 Dec. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'dictate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near dictate
Cite this Entry
“Dictate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dictate. Accessed 2 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
dictate
2 of 2 nounˈdik-ˌtāt
: an order or direction given with authority : command
the dictates of conscience
Etymology
Verb
from Latin dictatus, past participle of dictare "to assert, dictate," from dicere "to say" — related to dictionary, predict, verdict
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