behest

noun

be·​hest bi-ˈhest 

bē-

1

: an authoritative order : command

The meeting was called at the senator's behest.

2

: an urgent prompting

At the behest of her friends, she read the poem aloud.

Did you know?

Behest is an ancient word: it is almost a thousand years old. It was formed from the prefix be- and the verb hātan ("to command" or "to promise"), and its Old English ancestor was used exclusively in the sense of "promise," a now-obsolete meaning that continued on in Middle English especially in the phrase "the land of behest." The "command" meaning of behest is also ancient but it's still in good use, typically referring to an authoritative order. Behest is now also used with a less weighty meaning; it can refer to an urgent prompting, as in "a repeat performance at the behest of the troupe's fans."

Synonyms

• edict
• instruction
• order
• direction
• directive
• do
• injunction

Examples of behest in a Sentence

I only made the change at the author's behest.

Recent Examples on the Web

When officials go to the monitor at the behest of their video assistant referee, the guidance is that the VAR is not supposed to re-referee an infraction. —Jeff Rueter, New York Times, 20 June 2025

Also at issue in conservative attacks on transgender medical care: the belief that the decision to transition is made on a whim and at the behest of doctors. —Winston Cho, HollywoodReporter, 18 June 2025

At the behest of the president, numerous federal agencies have undertaken aggressive, invasive initiatives to crack down on immigration, police speech, investigate political opponents, curtail US public health efforts and emergency preparedness, and more. —Lily Hay Newman, Wired News, 16 June 2025

Organizers, at the behest of state authorities, canceled all No Kings protests in Minnesota. —Ethan Baron, Mercury News, 14 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, promise, command, from Old English behǣs promise, from behātan to promise, from be- + hātan to command, promise — more at hight

First Known Use

12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing behest

• at someone's behest
• at the behest of someone

Rhymes for behest

• abreast
• accessed
• addressed
• appressed
• armrest
• arrest
• assessed
• attest
• backrest
• bequest
• caressed
• celeste

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Kids Definition

behest

noun

be·​hest bi-ˈhest 

: order entry 2 sense 5b, command

built monuments at their ruler's behest