as in ordered
to request the doing of by virtue of one's authority
dictated that the terms of surrender be negotiated by his senior staff
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Recent Examples of dictated
Florida’s future shouldn’t be dictated by Wall Street hedge funds chasing returns.
—
Sean Parks, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 Feb. 2026
And they were buried together in a single pit, which was unusual for the time as Christian custom dictated that people, even if they have been executed, were normally buried separately, Aldred said.
—Issy Ronald, CNN Money, 4 Feb. 2026
The daycare approved by state officials dictated Rochelle’s schedule.
—Jayme Fraser, USA Today, 4 Feb. 2026
With one investment, Rupert could establish a fourth national broadcast network and smash the liberal monopoly of ABC, CBS, and NBC, the gatekeepers that dictated what Americans watched.
—Gabriel Sherman, HollywoodReporter, 3 Feb. 2026
Amongst the servants, meanwhile, a hierarchy based on standing and rank also dictated living conditions like proximity to the family and who got to eat dinner first.
—Emma Banks, InStyle, 29 Jan. 2026
Planetary visibility isn't only dictated by their brightness, but also by their orbital position relative to the sun and Earth.
—Anthony Wood, Space.com, 28 Jan. 2026
The feasibility of spider-silk bioleather depends on fermentation output, bioreactor optimization, fiber-processing techniques, and regulatory requirements, rather than being dictated solely by fashion trends.
—Srishti Gupta, Interesting Engineering, 28 Jan. 2026
Because their dreams must not be dictated by algorithms.
—Stephen Sorace, FOXNews.com, 27 Jan. 2026
Sean Parks, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 Feb. 2026
And they were buried together in a single pit, which was unusual for the time as Christian custom dictated that people, even if they have been executed, were normally buried separately, Aldred said.
—Issy Ronald, CNN Money, 4 Feb. 2026
The daycare approved by state officials dictated Rochelle’s schedule.
—Jayme Fraser, USA Today, 4 Feb. 2026
With one investment, Rupert could establish a fourth national broadcast network and smash the liberal monopoly of ABC, CBS, and NBC, the gatekeepers that dictated what Americans watched.
—Gabriel Sherman, HollywoodReporter, 3 Feb. 2026
Amongst the servants, meanwhile, a hierarchy based on standing and rank also dictated living conditions like proximity to the family and who got to eat dinner first.
—Emma Banks, InStyle, 29 Jan. 2026
Planetary visibility isn't only dictated by their brightness, but also by their orbital position relative to the sun and Earth.
—Anthony Wood, Space.com, 28 Jan. 2026
The feasibility of spider-silk bioleather depends on fermentation output, bioreactor optimization, fiber-processing techniques, and regulatory requirements, rather than being dictated solely by fashion trends.
—Srishti Gupta, Interesting Engineering, 28 Jan. 2026
Because their dreams must not be dictated by algorithms.
—Stephen Sorace, FOXNews.com, 27 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dictated
Verb
-
He was also ordered to serve six months of home confinement and complete 500 hours of community service, FBI officials said.—
JT Moodee Lockman,
CBS News,
9 Feb. 2026
-
At one point, Bad Bunny ordered a drink from Toñita, whose long-standing Caribbean Social Club is a landmark in Williamsburg.—
Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Repairs work was done on the balcony, according to an invoice, but the city wasn't aware of this as there was no permit requested.—
Gillian Stawiszynski,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
7 Feb. 2026
-
When confronted by a supervisor about having the photo of Perez visible on his phone, the current LAPD officer expressed admiration for Perez, according to the four sources, who requested anonymity in order to discuss a confidential personnel matter.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Hayden asked that his client, who has applied for asylum in the US, not be identified for fear of retaliation.—
Ray Sanchez,
CNN Money,
8 Feb. 2026
-
Carter perked up when he was asked about his new coach.—
Jason Beede,
The Orlando Sentinel,
7 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dictated.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dictated. Accessed 11 Feb. 2026.
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