as in edict
a statement of what to do that must be obeyed by those concerned
I only made the change at the author's behest
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of behest
Now, CodeWall was doing this at McKinsey’s behest; this wasn’t an unsanctioned hack.
—
Alan Henry, PC Magazine, 13 Mar. 2026
Dialogue tells us that Barb and John have come to put a memorial on their father’s grave at their behest of their mother, who lives in Pittsburgh.
—Literary Hub, 13 Mar. 2026
The following day, at his behest, tens of thousands of people in Yemen took to the streets to protest the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
—Sudarsan Raghavan, New Yorker, 12 Mar. 2026
The National Labor Relations Board overturned decades of precedent at the behest of union bosses during the Biden administration.
—Editorial Board, Washington Post, 12 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for behest
Alan Henry, PC Magazine, 13 Mar. 2026
Dialogue tells us that Barb and John have come to put a memorial on their father’s grave at their behest of their mother, who lives in Pittsburgh.
—Literary Hub, 13 Mar. 2026
The following day, at his behest, tens of thousands of people in Yemen took to the streets to protest the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
—Sudarsan Raghavan, New Yorker, 12 Mar. 2026
The National Labor Relations Board overturned decades of precedent at the behest of union bosses during the Biden administration.
—Editorial Board, Washington Post, 12 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for behest
Recent Examples of Synonyms for behest
Noun
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In 2003, as the United States invaded Iraq over false claims that Saddam Hussein possessed weapons of mass destruction, Khamenei issued a religious edict — a fatwa — declaring nuclear weapons to be forbidden under Islam.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
12 Mar. 2026
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That was despite a Spanish edict forbidding Pueblo people to possess horses.—
Debra Utacia Krol,
AZCentral.com,
27 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The form and instructions are available there for eligible consumers.—
James Powel,
USA Today,
14 Mar. 2026
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Cook the pasta shells for 1 minute less than the package instructions, about 9 minutes, then drain and spray with cooking spray, and place in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet.—
Elizabeth Nelson,
Southern Living,
14 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Muddy floodwaters from severe rains inundated streets, pushed homes off their foundations, swallowed vehicles and prompted evacuation orders for thousands of residents in towns north of Honolulu on Friday as officials warned of the possible failure of a 120-year-old dam.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
21 Mar. 2026
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The surrounding ornamental designs of flowers and fruit include the arms of the Genoese Republic and the Custody of the Holy Land, the arm of the Franciscan order that shares guardianship of the Holy Sepulcher.—
Sarah Kozlowski,
Dallas Morning News,
21 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The nation is moving in two starkly different directions, with states such as Oklahoma, South Carolina and Kentucky phasing out their income tax to attract businesses and population.—
Betsy McCaughey,
Boston Herald,
16 Mar. 2026
-
Sagittarius November 22 – December 21 Morning messages tug your focus in new directions.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
16 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Failure to do so, acting FTA executive director Jamie Pfister warns in the directive, could lead the feds to require IDOT to use federal funds to correct safety problems.—
Talia Soglin,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Mar. 2026
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This action followed a directive limiting the types of flags allowed at National Park sites.—
Nimi Princewill,
CNN Money,
16 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Jackson has since filed an injunction for a protective order against Pearce in Miami-Dade County.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
13 Mar. 2026
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Earlier this month, the school sued the conference seeking an injunction that would bar CUSA from placing Louisiana Tech on the conference’s 2026 football schedule and deem CUSA’s bylaws unenforceable, among other requests.—
Stewart Mandel,
New York Times,
13 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Behest.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/behest. Accessed 21 Mar. 2026.
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