1
: an authoritative command
especially
: a formal order from a superior court or official to an inferior one
2
: an authorization to act given to a representative
accepted the mandate of the people
3
a
: an order or commission granted by the League of Nations to a member nation for the establishment of a responsible government over a former German colony or other conquered territory
b
: a mandated territory
mandated; mandating
1
: to administer or assign (something, such as a territory) under a mandate
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When should you use mandate?
A mandate from a leader is a command you can't refuse. But that kind of personal command is rarely the meaning of mandate today; much more common are connected with institutions. Thus, the Clean Air Act was a mandate from Congress to clean up air pollution—and since mandate is also a verb, we could say instead that the Clear Air Act mandated new restrictions on air pollution. Elections are often interpreted as mandates from the public for certain kinds of action. But since a politician is not just a symbol of certain policies but also an individual who might happen to have an awfully nice smile, it can be risky to interpret most elections as mandating anything at all.
Examples of mandate in a Sentence
Noun
Sports fans have considerable forbearance. Year after year they endure escalating ticket prices, the abomination known as seat licensing and the implied mandate that taxpayers should foot the bill for the new stadium or arena that will absolutely revive downtown.
—
Jack McCallum, Sports Illustrated, 30 July 2007
All provisions requiring congressional approval, such as FDA regulation, were dropped, as were mandates for stronger package warnings, tighter enforcement on sales to youth, stronger public smoking bans, and … provisions to reduce youth smoking.
—Allan M. Brandt, The Cigarette Century, 2007
Not the least of the Governors' problems are the new mandates being put on them by Washington—by a President who was once one of their own.
—Karen Tumulty, Time, 19 May 2003
Royal mandates must be obeyed.
They carried out the governor's mandate to build more roads.
He won the election so convincingly that he believed he had been given a mandate for change.
Verb
The carbon prices on the European exchanges are higher precisely because the allowances for carbon emissions are mandated by government.
—Al Gore, An Inconvenient Truth, 2006
But the FDA did nothing. Later, it protested that it doesn't have the authority to mandate additional studies once a drug is marketed, but that is sophistry. The FDA has the authority to pull drugs off the market …
—Marcia Angell, New York Review of Books, 8 June 2006
For a few tantalizing weeks this spring, the manufacturers of gun safety locks seemed to have hit the jackpot: the gun-control bill passed by the Senate in the wake of the Littleton shootings mandated that all new handguns be equipped with safety locks.
—Calvin Trillin, Time, 5 July 1999
The law mandates that every car have seat belts.
He won the election so convincingly that he believed the people had mandated him to carry out his policies.
Jack McCallum, Sports Illustrated, 30 July 2007
All provisions requiring congressional approval, such as FDA regulation, were dropped, as were mandates for stronger package warnings, tighter enforcement on sales to youth, stronger public smoking bans, and … provisions to reduce youth smoking.
—Allan M. Brandt, The Cigarette Century, 2007
Not the least of the Governors' problems are the new mandates being put on them by Washington—by a President who was once one of their own.
—Karen Tumulty, Time, 19 May 2003
Royal mandates must be obeyed.
They carried out the governor's mandate to build more roads.
He won the election so convincingly that he believed he had been given a mandate for change.
Verb
The carbon prices on the European exchanges are higher precisely because the allowances for carbon emissions are mandated by government.
—Al Gore, An Inconvenient Truth, 2006
But the FDA did nothing. Later, it protested that it doesn't have the authority to mandate additional studies once a drug is marketed, but that is sophistry. The FDA has the authority to pull drugs off the market …
—Marcia Angell, New York Review of Books, 8 June 2006
For a few tantalizing weeks this spring, the manufacturers of gun safety locks seemed to have hit the jackpot: the gun-control bill passed by the Senate in the wake of the Littleton shootings mandated that all new handguns be equipped with safety locks.
—Calvin Trillin, Time, 5 July 1999
The law mandates that every car have seat belts.
He won the election so convincingly that he believed the people had mandated him to carry out his policies.
Recent Examples on the Web
Paul Davidson, USA Today, 4 July 2025
Regulatory Push: Data-sovereignty rules in the EU, U.S. federal AI-risk guidelines and industry-specific mandates (HIPAA, FINRA) all quietly favor keeping sensitive model development closer to home turf.
—Baris Kavakli, Forbes.com, 3 July 2025
J.d. Davidson, The Washington Examiner, 5 July 2025
In a June 16 letter penned by U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk, the Human Rights Council outlines more than a dozen reports, as well as studies, regional workshops, and panels mandated by the Council, which could not be completed due to inadequate resourcing.
—Beth Bailey, FOXNews.com, 5 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for mandate
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Noun
Under its two congressional mandates, the central bank reduces rates to lower borrowing costs for Americans and bolster a sluggish economy.
—Paul Davidson, USA Today, 4 July 2025
Regulatory Push: Data-sovereignty rules in the EU, U.S. federal AI-risk guidelines and industry-specific mandates (HIPAA, FINRA) all quietly favor keeping sensitive model development closer to home turf.
—Baris Kavakli, Forbes.com, 3 July 2025
Verb
Voters also mandated some of the tax dollars be spent on social equity and jobs programs, but the bill eliminates that provision and reduces the money spent on mental health and addiction services.
—J.d. Davidson, The Washington Examiner, 5 July 2025
In a June 16 letter penned by U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk, the Human Rights Council outlines more than a dozen reports, as well as studies, regional workshops, and panels mandated by the Council, which could not be completed due to inadequate resourcing.
—Beth Bailey, FOXNews.com, 5 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for mandate
Cite this Entry
“Mandate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mandate. Accessed 9 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
mandate
1 of 2 noun
man·date
ˈman-ˌdāt 
1
: an order from a higher court to a lower court
2
a
: an authoritative command, instruction, or direction
b
: authorization or approval given to a representative especially by voters
accepted the mandate of the people
3
a
: a commission granted by the League of Nations to a member nation to administer a territory on its behalf
b
: a mandated territory
Legal Definition
mandate
1 of 2 noun
man·date
ˈman-ˌdāt
1
a
: a formal communication from a reviewing court notifying the court below of its judgment and directing the lower court to act accordingly
b
: mandamus
2
in the civil law of Louisiana
: an act by which a person gives another person the power to transact for him or her one or several affairs
3
a
: an authoritative command : a clear authorization or direction
the mandate of the full faith and credit clause—National Law Journal
National Law Journal
b
: the authorization to act given by a constituency to its elected representative
mandate
2 of 2 transitive verb
mandated; mandating
: to make mandatory or required
the Pennsylvania Constitution mandates a criminal defendant's right to confrontation—National Law Journal
National Law JournalEtymology
Noun
Latin mandatum, from neuter of mandatus, past participle of mandare to entrust, enjoin, probably irregularly from manus hand + -dere to put
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