as in orders
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 instructions
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 dictates
Christopher Elliott, Forbes.com, 10 May 2026
There is a strong matriarchal figure whose presence dictates the course of action.
—Christopher Smith, Oc Register, 9 May 2026
The state Supreme Court agreed with the Republican plaintiffs, who argued that by moving the redistricting ballot question in a special session weeks before the 2025 election, Virginia Democrats didn’t follow state law that dictates the timing of ballot measures.
—Nicholas Wu, semafor.com, 8 May 2026
That’s ultimately what dictates the price per chip.
—IEEE Spectrum, 6 May 2026
Standard protocol dictates Allen be held under suicide watch for the first 72 hours while he is assessed.
—Kerry Breen, CBS News, 3 May 2026
But where once engineers could use any raw ingredients at their disposal to make parts with almost supernatural structural abilities, the climate crisis dictates a change of strategy.
—Caitlin Kennedy, Scientific American, 25 Apr. 2026
That’s because the federal tax code, in section 280E, dictates that companies working with Schedule I or Schedule II substances are prohibited from deducting many standard business expenses.
—Tiney Ricciardi, Denver Post, 24 Apr. 2026
Homes here are often held for decades and frequently pass quietly, introduced to the market when timing, rather than necessity, dictates a change.
—Mark David, Robb Report, 24 Apr. 2026
Erin La Rosa, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2026
Now, agencies must weigh whether to adhere to federal dictates or comply with state transparency rules, with some directing records custodians and media spokespersons to acknowledge public records requests but not fulfill them unless ICE grants approval, records show.
—Monique O. Madan, Sun Sentinel, 11 May 2026
Its core principle is that when convenience dictates or necessity requires, a country must allow the people, goods and vessels of other nations to pass through its territory for a journey that begins and ends elsewhere.
—Vivek Krishnamurthy, The Conversation, 5 May 2026
Here’s what the rulebook dictates… and what Wellens actually said.
—Tim Spiers, New York Times, 5 May 2026
Regulatory prescription shapes the work itself—banking’s SR 11-7 dictates model risk management in detail, while retail has almost no sector-specific AI regulation.
—Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 2 May 2026
The project’s financing dictates that the market-rate tower has separate ownership from the affordable segment, Kingston said.
—Nick Wooten, Dallas Morning News, 2 Apr. 2026
This cut comes with dictates—jaw-length or shorter, most often paired with bangs—but also leaves room for personalized play.
—Calin Van Paris, InStyle, 1 Apr. 2026
The girls decide to go and look for a traditional skirt for Qihuo to commemorate this rite of passage, as tradition dictates.
—Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 15 Mar. 2026
Verb
Sustainability even dictates climate control.
—Christopher Elliott, Forbes.com, 10 May 2026
There is a strong matriarchal figure whose presence dictates the course of action.
—Christopher Smith, Oc Register, 9 May 2026
The state Supreme Court agreed with the Republican plaintiffs, who argued that by moving the redistricting ballot question in a special session weeks before the 2025 election, Virginia Democrats didn’t follow state law that dictates the timing of ballot measures.
—Nicholas Wu, semafor.com, 8 May 2026
That’s ultimately what dictates the price per chip.
—IEEE Spectrum, 6 May 2026
Standard protocol dictates Allen be held under suicide watch for the first 72 hours while he is assessed.
—Kerry Breen, CBS News, 3 May 2026
But where once engineers could use any raw ingredients at their disposal to make parts with almost supernatural structural abilities, the climate crisis dictates a change of strategy.
—Caitlin Kennedy, Scientific American, 25 Apr. 2026
That’s because the federal tax code, in section 280E, dictates that companies working with Schedule I or Schedule II substances are prohibited from deducting many standard business expenses.
—Tiney Ricciardi, Denver Post, 24 Apr. 2026
Homes here are often held for decades and frequently pass quietly, introduced to the market when timing, rather than necessity, dictates a change.
—Mark David, Robb Report, 24 Apr. 2026
Noun
As fake dating logic dictates, proximity (and, blessedly, only one bed) leads to very real feelings.
—Erin La Rosa, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2026
Now, agencies must weigh whether to adhere to federal dictates or comply with state transparency rules, with some directing records custodians and media spokespersons to acknowledge public records requests but not fulfill them unless ICE grants approval, records show.
—Monique O. Madan, Sun Sentinel, 11 May 2026
Its core principle is that when convenience dictates or necessity requires, a country must allow the people, goods and vessels of other nations to pass through its territory for a journey that begins and ends elsewhere.
—Vivek Krishnamurthy, The Conversation, 5 May 2026
Here’s what the rulebook dictates… and what Wellens actually said.
—Tim Spiers, New York Times, 5 May 2026
Regulatory prescription shapes the work itself—banking’s SR 11-7 dictates model risk management in detail, while retail has almost no sector-specific AI regulation.
—Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 2 May 2026
The project’s financing dictates that the market-rate tower has separate ownership from the affordable segment, Kingston said.
—Nick Wooten, Dallas Morning News, 2 Apr. 2026
This cut comes with dictates—jaw-length or shorter, most often paired with bangs—but also leaves room for personalized play.
—Calin Van Paris, InStyle, 1 Apr. 2026
The girls decide to go and look for a traditional skirt for Qihuo to commemorate this rite of passage, as tradition dictates.
—Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 15 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dictates
Verb
-
Twenty-year-old Violet Sorrengail was always expected to live a quiet life — but she’s sent on an entirely different path when her mother, a general in the military, orders her to join the hundreds of candidates striving to become dragon riders, the elite of Navarre.—
Jennifer Maas,
Variety,
11 May 2026
-
The story centers on Violet Sorrengail, whose plans for a quiet life are upended when her mother, a military general, orders her to join the brutal Basgiath War College and become one of several hundred candidates vying to become dragon riders.—
Rick Porter,
HollywoodReporter,
11 May 2026
Noun
-
The resulting disruptions include numerous school and business closings, remote work instructions and finding alternate sites for residents of nursing homes and assisted living facilities.—
Nicholas Lentz,
CBS News,
11 May 2026
-
For the 2025 version, our approximately 10 pairings of drivers and navigators arrived on a Wednesday and convened at Monaco’s Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo to sign in and receive preliminary instructions for the next day’s start.—
Viju Mathew,
Robb Report,
11 May 2026
Verb
-
The lawsuit does not specify the amount Santana and Smith are seeking in damages, but the filing requests compensatory damages, punitive damages, attorney fees, a public retraction, and a correction.—
Kevin Dolak,
HollywoodReporter,
12 May 2026
-
The duo abided by the restaurant's dress code, which requests that customers wear business casual or dressy evening wear, per the website.—
Skyler Caruso,
PEOPLE,
11 May 2026
Noun
-
My worry is edicts from Hartford.—
Christopher Keating,
Hartford Courant,
28 Apr. 2026
-
While many edicts are necessary to protect public safety, many more are redundant, wasteful and anti-competitive, piling on unnecessary costs and stymieing innovation.—
Editorial,
Boston Herald,
18 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Addressing long-term encampments requires consistent outreach, mental health care, sanitation access, and pathways to stable housing.—
Shianne LeClaire,
Hartford Courant,
17 May 2026
-
Traditionally, maintaining vigilance in places like the South China Sea requires constant Naval patrols, which are expensive.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
16 May 2026
Noun
-
Among other things, he was accused of being openly critical of college leadership and of failing to respond to or complete directives from college officials.—
Matthew Adams,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
14 May 2026
-
Wang and Sun executed directives from PRC representatives and sometimes sought permission from Chinese government officials to post content, Wang’s plea agreement said.—
Alicia Victoria Lozano,
NBC news,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
International humanitarian law mandates the principles of distinction, proportionality, and necessity, but the opaqueness of drone operations, particularly outside active battlefields, challenges these principles.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
8 May 2026
-
My opponent wants to reinstate Measure J, which mandates that 10% of county revenue go to anti-incarceration programs and explicitly prohibits spending on law enforcement or detention.—
Steve Scauzillo,
Daily News,
4 May 2026
Noun
-
The final Cocteau Twins album is an underrated gem that hints at directions the band could have continued in.—
Al Shipley,
SPIN,
12 May 2026
-
Empty fields and croplands surround Denver International Airport in most directions.—
Mead Gruver,
Los Angeles Times,
12 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dictates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dictates. Accessed 18 May. 2026.
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