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
Dan Sheldon, New York Times, 6 Apr. 2026
Remember, too, that while the conventional wisdom dictates that a new mortgage rate that's a full percentage point lower than your current one is worth pursuing, sometimes a rate that's just half a percentage point lower could also be valuable.
—Matt Richardson, CBS News, 3 Apr. 2026
This gentle wobble, known as libration, dictates the extent of the moon's south polar region that can be seen from Earth at any one time.
—Anthony Wood, Space.com, 3 Apr. 2026
Algorithm strategy dictates thumbnail color, title length and posting schedules.
—Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 1 Apr. 2026
On the other hand, the batting order also only dictates that first at-bat.
—Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 1 Apr. 2026
The times were selected based on the shifting positions of the moon and Earth, which dictates when the Space Launch System rocket, topped with the Orion capsule, can safely lift off and still complete complex mission objectives.
—Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 25 Mar. 2026
The former dictates an excessively politicized life, the latter an effort to escape from the political.
—Bradley Gitz, Arkansas Online, 23 Mar. 2026
Mattress manufacturers are required by law to disclose the materials used in their products, which often dictates quality and price.
—Nashia Baker, Architectural Digest, 19 Mar. 2026
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
There is perhaps no sport that is more in thrall to the dictates of orthodoxy than baseball, which is so steeped in tradition that a visit to the ballpark is often a bit like hopping into a time machine.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 13 Mar. 2026
Beloved ’s revenant defies the dictates of realism according to which a character is a bounded individual.
—Judith Shulevitz, The Atlantic, 17 Feb. 2026
Local control ensures that voting reflects the needs of the community, not the dictates of a federal bureaucracy.
—Chicago Tribune, 13 Feb. 2026
The deregulatory agenda, the most significant since President Ronald Reagan’s, has begun to liberate households and businesses from the dictates of Washington’s bureaucracy.
—Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 3 Feb. 2026
The Institute for Postnatural Studies does not aim to conform to the dictates of traditional academia, as its name might imply.
—Catherine Taft, Artforum, 1 Feb. 2026
Magritte is an artist who comes with a host of associated personal symbols—all those apples, bowler hats, mirrors, and trains—which interact according to the dictates of dream logic.
—Literary Hub, 23 Dec. 2025
Verb
The league brings in less revenue, for one, and its CBA also dictates that no player can sign a contract for an AAV greater than 20 percent of the salary cap — proportionally lower, by 15 percent, than the NBA supermax.
—Dan Sheldon, New York Times, 6 Apr. 2026
Remember, too, that while the conventional wisdom dictates that a new mortgage rate that's a full percentage point lower than your current one is worth pursuing, sometimes a rate that's just half a percentage point lower could also be valuable.
—Matt Richardson, CBS News, 3 Apr. 2026
This gentle wobble, known as libration, dictates the extent of the moon's south polar region that can be seen from Earth at any one time.
—Anthony Wood, Space.com, 3 Apr. 2026
Algorithm strategy dictates thumbnail color, title length and posting schedules.
—Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 1 Apr. 2026
On the other hand, the batting order also only dictates that first at-bat.
—Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 1 Apr. 2026
The times were selected based on the shifting positions of the moon and Earth, which dictates when the Space Launch System rocket, topped with the Orion capsule, can safely lift off and still complete complex mission objectives.
—Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 25 Mar. 2026
The former dictates an excessively politicized life, the latter an effort to escape from the political.
—Bradley Gitz, Arkansas Online, 23 Mar. 2026
Mattress manufacturers are required by law to disclose the materials used in their products, which often dictates quality and price.
—Nashia Baker, Architectural Digest, 19 Mar. 2026
Noun
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
There is perhaps no sport that is more in thrall to the dictates of orthodoxy than baseball, which is so steeped in tradition that a visit to the ballpark is often a bit like hopping into a time machine.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 13 Mar. 2026
Beloved ’s revenant defies the dictates of realism according to which a character is a bounded individual.
—Judith Shulevitz, The Atlantic, 17 Feb. 2026
Local control ensures that voting reflects the needs of the community, not the dictates of a federal bureaucracy.
—Chicago Tribune, 13 Feb. 2026
The deregulatory agenda, the most significant since President Ronald Reagan’s, has begun to liberate households and businesses from the dictates of Washington’s bureaucracy.
—Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 3 Feb. 2026
The Institute for Postnatural Studies does not aim to conform to the dictates of traditional academia, as its name might imply.
—Catherine Taft, Artforum, 1 Feb. 2026
Magritte is an artist who comes with a host of associated personal symbols—all those apples, bowler hats, mirrors, and trains—which interact according to the dictates of dream logic.
—Literary Hub, 23 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dictates
Verb
-
The legislation orders West Bank military courts — which try only Palestinians — to make the death penalty the default sentence for those convicted, except in special circumstances.—
Julia Frankel,
Los Angeles Times,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Ellie finally leaves after Daisy orders her back to the cabin.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
So, the mission team gave the Artemis 2 crew some instructions.—
Mike Wall,
Space.com,
7 Apr. 2026
-
To switch to Google Messages, Samsung's website gives users instructions to download the app from the Play Store, if not already on their phone, and set it as the default.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
This session, the Legislature also passed House Bill 822, which requires schools and health care providers to inform a parent within 72 hours if a child requests to take steps to socially transition, which could include using pronouns or names that align with their gender identity.—
Becca Savransky,
Idaho Statesman,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Ryan, and his 6-year-old brother, have volunteered with Habitat for Humanity, a favorite of the Carters, and Ryan regularly requests a night's reading material to contain information on former presidents, according to videos posted by his mother.—
Irene Wright,
USA Today,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Like most of her peers, Agnes follows her country’s various repressive edicts directed toward young women.—
Daniel Fienberg,
HollywoodReporter,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Covid-19 bred doubt about government edicts and skepticism about science, provoking an existential battle for truth.—
Richard Edelman,
Time,
18 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Libra September 23 – October 22 Libra, balance requires substance behind the smile.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
5 Apr. 2026
-
The challenge is that manure is already extremely nutrient-dense—often providing far more nitrogen and phosphorus than even a productive garden requires.—
Anthony Reardon,
Kansas City Star,
4 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Information flows upward through layers of reporting, and directives flow downward through chains of command.—
Lawrence Rosenberg,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2026
-
What the report found In response to the allegations in Minnesota, Abbott issued six directives to the state workforce and human services commissions to identify if Texas had a problem with improper payments, specifically with fraud.—
Jess Huff,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The addition of two teams to the league for 2026, the Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire, will add new destinations for players as the league now mandates a 12-player roster.—
Emily Ohman,
New York Times,
6 Apr. 2026
-
That requirement, which will be phased in starting this fall, mandates that high school students receive instruction before graduation on topics including budgeting, credit, debt management and investing.—
Stephanie Dhue,Sharon Epperson,
CNBC,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Low-impact dyes, softer fabrications, and slub-character fabrics are among the key directions denim mills are pursuing for Fall/Winter 2027–2028.—
Angela Velasquez,
Sourcing Journal,
31 Mar. 2026
-
To tackle this issue, the new design boasts two sets of compressor blades rotating in opposite directions.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
31 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dictates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dictates. Accessed 8 Apr. 2026.
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