DICTATES Synonyms: 46 Similar and Opposite Words

dictates 1 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of dictate

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

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dictates

2 of 2

noun

plural of dictate

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

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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 dictates

Verb

In summer, Barcelona’s high humidity dictates lazy beach lounging followed by long meals on restaurant terraces. — Jessica Benavides Canepa, Travel + Leisure, 16 July 2026 So much of their game flows through the Boca Juniors player, who dictates play from the base of midfield. — Graham Ruthven, New York Times, 15 July 2026 The jet stream – the ultimate arbiter of day-to-day weather – dictates where warmer air and cooler air are allowed to settle across North America. — Sean MacAday, Sacbee.com, 14 July 2026 If the distance between Earth and the sun is at its greatest, conventional wisdom dictates that cooler weather should result. — Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 5 July 2026 Even in sports, where a thralldom to analytics dictates how the games will be played. — Colin Fleming, New York Daily News, 4 July 2026 The moon will never completely free itself from Earth, though — physics dictates that the drift will stop after about 15 billion years. — Stefanie Waldek, Space.com, 2 July 2026 Since 2023, Washington state law dictates that if a young person staying in a shelter seeks gender-affirming or reproductive care, the shelter does not have to notify their parents if there’s a fear of parental abuse or neglect. — Theresa Gaffney, STAT, 30 June 2026 In cases involving government entities, the state dictates that liability is capped at $500,000 per single occurrence for bodily injury or death. — William Jones, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 June 2026

Noun

The difference is the true deficit, as the Legislature’s nonpartisan budget analyst Gabe Petek sees it — and as common sense dictates. — Dan Walters, Mercury News, 9 July 2026 Tradition dictates, in its birthplace of the Piedmont region of Italy, that tonnato is served with thin pieces of veal. — Scott Hocker, TheWeek, 29 June 2026 The downturn bolsters the longstanding theory that the Bitcoin market follows the dictates of US election cycles. — Joe Wilkins, Futurism, 3 June 2026 Prioritize Human Oversight And Algorithmic Transparency To balance rapid technological growth with core values, leaders should implement rigorous ethical guardrails that ensure AI integration serves the mission rather than just the dictates of high-tech donors. — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 28 May 2026 Central Florida officials are still pushing back against the state’s pro-profiteering dictates, and defending local initiatives like urban growth boundaries. — Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 22 May 2026 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 Here’s what the rulebook dictates… and what Wellens actually said. — Tim Spiers, New York Times, 5 May 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for dictates

Verb

In one of the most memorable scenes from Homer’s 2,800-year-old poem, Odysseus ties himself to a ship mast and orders his crew to plug their ears with beeswax, so as not to be lured in by the dulcet yet deadly songs of the Sirens.

— Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 14 July 2026
Examples are a prompt that orders the LLM to provide steps for developing inhalable Anthrax spores, or, in the case of LLMs from Chinese developers, make references to the iconic Tank Man from the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre.

— Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 13 July 2026

Definition of orders

Verb

The board’s letter, addressed to Mayor Scott Wehrli and the Naperville City Council, requests that library officials remain updated on any decisions and discussions surrounding the project.

— Carolyn Stein, Chicago Tribune, 16 July 2026
The petition also requests that the court authorize her mother to administer the estate under California’s Independent Administration of Estates Act and approve a $400,000 bond.

— Angelique Brenes, PEOPLE, 14 July 2026

Definition of requests

Noun

Getty Images for Ascot Racecourse The highly agile Getty shooter Alan Crowhurst has done us a great favor by bringing concrete cloakroom evidence of the many social and administrative challenges that the (famous) Royal Ascot costume edicts require in order to be properly met.

— Guy Martin, Forbes.com, 21 June 2026
The age of the Germanic male genius delivering edicts from on high has run its course.

— Alex Ross, New Yorker, 15 June 2026

Definition of edicts

Verb

The Sandra Bland Act signed into law in 2017 requires that county jails help get inmates with mental health and substance abuse issues treatment, and help expedite the bailing process for those who meet these requirements.

— Rachel Royster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 July 2026
The law requires only one member of the search committee to be a faculty member, but that doesn’t limit the board from engaging more faculty members in the process to get a wider array of feedback.

— Becca Savransky, Idaho Statesman, 14 July 2026

Definition of requires

Verb

The order mandates clean drinking water around the clock, nutritious meals and daily sanitation, plus overhauled medical care, disability accommodations and independent monitors overseeing compliance.

— Ruben Vives, Los Angeles Times, 17 July 2026
But crucially, xenia is also a code that mandates behavior on the receiving end of hospitality.

— Natasha O'Neill, Vanity Fair, 16 July 2026

Definition of mandates

Noun

The city says plans include adding an additional lane of traffic in both the west and eastbound directions of Roseville Parkway.

— James Taylor, CBS News, 14 July 2026
This creates an immediate sensing-to-action response, while each chamber operates independently to distinguish forces along horizontal, lateral, and vertical directions.

— Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 13 July 2026

Definition of directions

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“Dictates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dictates. Accessed 20 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of dictates

verb

noun

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