dictate to
phrasal verb
dictated to; dictating to; dictates to
: to give orders to (someone)
—usually used as (be) dictated to
I resent being dictated to by someone with half my experience.
Examples of dictate to in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
They will not be dictated to without far richer incentives, protections, or more sustained pressure than a single special forces operation can provide.
—
Dewardric L. McNeal, CNBC, 11 Jan. 2026
No one dictates to us what to do.
—Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 11 Jan. 2026
Turkish pro-government media celebrated it as an assertion of sovereignty, proof that Ankara would not be dictated to by Washington.
—Bobby Ghosh, Time, 22 Dec. 2025
The Broncos have dictated to offense after offense, week after week.
—Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 13 Dec. 2025
His words are believed to have been dictated to his son Jan, surviving both World War II and subsequent communist rule.
—Jay Ganglani, NBC news, 19 Sep. 2025
In an apology letter dictated to the court by his lawyer, Jenkins said speaking to children is the most fulfilling part of his life now.
—Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 16 Aug. 2025
This is the federal government working with, not dictating to, our states.
—Brooke L. Rollins, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 July 2025
Both Russia and China dictate to their neighbors and seek veto power over other nations’ decisions about security, diplomacy, and trade.
—Bill Weld, Foreign Affairs, 8 Oct. 2019
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Dewardric L. McNeal, CNBC, 11 Jan. 2026
No one dictates to us what to do.
—Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 11 Jan. 2026
Turkish pro-government media celebrated it as an assertion of sovereignty, proof that Ankara would not be dictated to by Washington.
—Bobby Ghosh, Time, 22 Dec. 2025
The Broncos have dictated to offense after offense, week after week.
—Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 13 Dec. 2025
His words are believed to have been dictated to his son Jan, surviving both World War II and subsequent communist rule.
—Jay Ganglani, NBC news, 19 Sep. 2025
In an apology letter dictated to the court by his lawyer, Jenkins said speaking to children is the most fulfilling part of his life now.
—Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 16 Aug. 2025
This is the federal government working with, not dictating to, our states.
—Brooke L. Rollins, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 July 2025
Both Russia and China dictate to their neighbors and seek veto power over other nations’ decisions about security, diplomacy, and trade.
—Bill Weld, Foreign Affairs, 8 Oct. 2019
Cite this Entry
“Dictate to.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dictate%20to. Accessed 29 Jan. 2026.
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