fiat

noun

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fi·at | \ ˈfē-ət

, -ˌat, -ˌät; ˈfī-ət, -ˌat

Definition of fiat

1 : an authoritative or arbitrary order : decree government by fiat

2 : an authoritative determination : dictate a fiat of conscience

3 : a command or act of will that creates something without or as if without further effort According to the Bible, the world was created by fiat.

Synonyms More Example Sentences Phrases Containing fiat Learn More About fiat

Examples of fiat in a Sentence

He runs the company by fiat. the school principal issued a fiat that caps were not to be worn inside the school, and that was that

Recent Examples on the Web This report does not take the form of a fiat but that of a consensus. — Steve Brozak, Forbes, 7 Mar. 2022 There is simply no way for government fiat to force down costs without harming innovation, especially at the startups and small biotechs fueled by venture capital (VC). — Craig Garthwaite, STAT, 23 July 2022 When filing taxes, George has to produce fiat to pay the taxes related to the $29,000 capital gain. — Shehan Chandrasekera, Forbes, 28 June 2022 The assets were then transferred to the government and were directly converted into regular fiat. — Fortune, 6 July 2022 When wages are set by government fiat or by threats from powerful politicians, employers are thereby prohibited from offering the bundle that best meets the worker’s needs. — John C. Goodman, Forbes, 7 May 2022 So, people in an affluent suburb get to decide for themselves whether to don a mask when entering a store or other interior space, but those in Philly will be forced by government fiat to do this because … redlining used to be practiced in the city? — Damon Linker, The Week, 13 Apr. 2022 Governmental fiat had the power to turn fable into fact. — Cullen Murphy, The Atlantic, 15 June 2022 Sanctions against Russia have European, and U.S. importers from paying in local fiat. — Eamon Barrett, Fortune, 25 May 2022 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'fiat.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.