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
as in order
a statement of what to do that must be obeyed by those concerned
a starchily worded dictate from on high concerning the company's dress code
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dictate
Literary Hub, 8 Jan. 2026
The game dictated the stats, not the other way around.
—Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 8 Jan. 2026
Eyck Freymann, Time, 4 Nov. 2025
An invisible line between Austin and San Antonio dictates where childcare aid can be used.
—Jayme Fraser, USA Today, 30 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dictate
Verb
Your Name Here does not treat readers like passive audience members to whom meaning is dictated.
—Literary Hub, 8 Jan. 2026
The game dictated the stats, not the other way around.
—Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 8 Jan. 2026
Noun
Smaller countries in the region, especially in Southeast Asia, would have to submit to Beijing’s dictates.
—Eyck Freymann, Time, 4 Nov. 2025
An invisible line between Austin and San Antonio dictates where childcare aid can be used.
—Jayme Fraser, USA Today, 30 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dictate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dictate
Verb
-
Free for all East Side San Jose residents, folks can sign up for pick up or order home delivery, as the foundation partners with DoorDash.—
Bay Area News Group,
Mercury News,
6 Jan. 2026
-
Trump, by contrast, ordered the capture of a leader already under narcoterrorism indictment and framed it as a drug bust and accountability for crimes, yet his opponents denounce him as aspiring to kingship and dictatorship.—
Paul Vallas,
Twin Cities,
6 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The young Malinin skated by himself, uninterested in instruction.—
Marcus Thompson II,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
-
Careful use of pesticides, following all label instructions.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
6 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Jessica Ranucci, a lawyer in the New York Attorney General’s office, said in the Friday hearing, which was conducted by telephone, that at least four of the states had already had money delayed after requesting it.—
Geoff Mulvihill,
Twin Cities,
10 Jan. 2026
-
With a general manager now in place, the Dolphins on Friday night called to express interest in former Ravens coach John Harbaugh and also requested interviews with three NFL assistant coaches, according to league sources.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
10 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Join our live chats or ask a question in advance.—
Karen Tumulty,
Washington Post,
15 Jan. 2026
-
Police added that Lattimore was arrested for not telling the officer there was a gun inside the vehicle when asked.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Owners who defy this edict will be tied down and forced to watch their machines being destroyed during a demolition derby that will be free for the public to watch.—
Marla Jo Fisher,
Oc Register,
22 Oct. 2025
-
Of course, Nix never has to worry about the pain his defensive teammates can inflict, protected in practice by the strict don’t-touch-the-QB edict.—
Nick Kosmider,
New York Times,
12 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
If a development project met certain standards set by the state, local officials would be required to approve it.—
Ryan Ballogg,
Miami Herald,
9 Jan. 2026
-
The length of cold required to break dormancy in any particular tree species depends on both the length of typical winter and the variability of winter temperature patterns where a species evolved.—
Paul Cappiello,
Louisville Courier Journal,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
At a moment of increasing niche-ification of the news media business, Axel Springer is running in the opposite direction.—
Max Tani,
semafor.com,
10 Nov. 2025
-
Automation can go in either of these directions; that’s why the task of the left is to create social and cultural conditions in which the benign and constructive aspects of technology and automation are primary.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
The letter details other claims of favoritism and disregard for recent board directives to curb spending, like attempting to hire for vacant positions and authorizing overtime expenditures despite the hiring and overtime freeze enacted in the board approved fiscal solvency plan.—
Jennah Pendleton,
Sacbee.com,
8 Jan. 2026
-
The Licensed Child Care Association of Oklahoma filed a suit against DHS, seeking a temporary restraining order against the directive.—
Jillian Taylor,
StateImpact,
8 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dictate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dictate. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.
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