dictate 1 of 2

as in to order
to request the doing of by virtue of one's authority dictated that the terms of surrender be negotiated by his senior staff

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

dictate

2 of 2

noun

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of dictate
Verb
In other words, the large distance physics can dictate backwards what’s going on at shorter scales, which is not like what usually happens in quantum field theories. Steven Strogatz, Quanta Magazine, 29 May 2025 The defending champion and Olympic gold medalist was masterful at point guard, dictating tempo and powering a transition attack that rolled up 21 fast-break points. Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 28 May 2025
Noun
OnlyFans models are independent creators who, for the most part, run their businesses according to their own dictates. Jessie Sage, Rolling Stone, 14 Dec. 2024 Too many leaders seek to lead down by being authoritative, by pushing dictates on people and relentlessly driving forward toward arbitrary goals and deadlines. Andrew Deutscher, Forbes.com, 9 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for dictate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dictate
Verb
  • The last time a president called in the National Guard without a governor’s cooperation was in 1965, when Lyndon B. Johnson ordered troops to protect civil rights demonstrators in Alabama.
    Lia Russell, Sacbee.com, 9 June 2025
  • Helen's Tomato Pie Senior Digital News Editor Rebecca Baer heads to one of downtown Birmingham’s most popular restaurants, Helen, each summer to order their beloved Tomato Pie.
    Mary Shannon Wells, Southern Living, 8 June 2025
Noun
  • The only instructions for the theater audience that night will be to get their butts in the seats before curtain.
    Lynette Rice, Deadline, 6 June 2025
  • Residents were advised to heed official warnings throughout the severe weather cycle and stay alert for any additional storm advisories or emergency instructions.
    Barney Henderson, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 June 2025
Verb
  • Outside researchers can request access to VSD data by submitting study proposals to the CDC.
    Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 6 June 2025
  • Banerjee did not respond to emails requesting comment from The Bee.
    Stephen Hobbs, Sacbee.com, 6 June 2025
Verb
  • Seyfried asked Brody of the next film, who said he hadn’t been contacted about the project but noted that his character died.
    Matt Donnelly, Variety, 9 June 2025
  • Giselle, a cheery woman in her forties from Yorkshire, England, asked.
    Jennifer Wilson, New Yorker, 9 June 2025
Noun
  • Even states seen as safer for LGBTQ+ people have been navigating these edicts around trans athletes.
    Jessica Guynn, USA Today, 3 June 2025
  • The edict: get as many AI features into the operating system as possible.
    Bloomberg, Mercury News, 19 May 2025
Verb
  • Under South Korean law, all able-bodied men between the ages of 18 and 35 are required to serve in the country’s military for at least 18 months.
    Siladitya Ray, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025
  • At the same time, the deportations would require claims of extraordinary presidential powers.
    Eric Cortellessa, Time, 10 June 2025
Noun
  • This would entail Lopez heading to the English capital and Christopher Nkunku travelling in the opposite direction to its Catalan counterpart.
    Tom Sanderson, Forbes.com, 7 June 2025
  • His regular-season numbers are astonishing, but so are his postseason stats… in the opposite direction.
    Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 7 June 2025
Noun
  • Presumably, there will be a clear directive from the new boss to utilise these games to implement his tactics and kick off his tenure with a signature win.
    Brett Koremenos, New York Times, 12 June 2025
  • Perhaps the most telling objectives of the Trump administration’s sweeping directives have been orders issued to a number of major law firms in the United States.
    Blake D. Morant, Forbes.com, 12 June 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Dictate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dictate. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on dictate

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!