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
Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 16 Feb. 2026
Of course, the genre dictates that a seemingly sure thing be vexed, and this rom-com is no different.
—Lisa Kennedy, Variety, 5 Feb. 2026
Vancouver, however, is absolutely considering the possibility of utilizing Lankinen as a shootout specialist and is willing to bring him in cold for the end-game event if the situation dictates it.
—Harman Dayal, New York Times, 2 Feb. 2026
The public trust doctrine dictates the state holds navigable waters in trust for the public up to the ordinary high water mark − a visual mark left by water.
—Caitlin Looby, jsonline.com, 30 Jan. 2026
Since then, the Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration (MDOT SHA) instituted a policy that dictates the opening of a work zone must be blocked by a protection vehicle, and an adjacent lane must be closed during construction work.
—Jt Moodee Lockman, CBS News, 30 Jan. 2026
Pawn shops were originally included in the ordinance, but have since been removed since Texas state law dictates that new pawn shops will not be approved if there is another one within two miles in counties with more than 250,000 people.
—Emily Holshouser, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 Jan. 2026
While reading develops cognitive agency by building a path through ideas, video dictates its own.
—Ryan Craig, Forbes.com, 23 Jan. 2026
The bill, which advanced from the Assembly Appropriations Committee on Thursday, would exempt Proposition 4 funding from review under the Administrative Procedure Act, which dictates how state agencies follow rules and regulations and can cause lengthy delays in implementing programs.
—Nadia Lathan, Los Angeles Times, 23 Jan. 2026
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
Russia is too big compared with Ukraine, and its willingness to fight on dictates that ending the war will require Ukraine to make concessions.
—Thomas Friedman, Mercury News, 5 Dec. 2025
However, the dictates of a person's conscience, religion, or personal philosophy cannot justify or excuse the disobedience of an otherwise lawful order.
—Christa Swanson, CBS News, 22 Nov. 2025
Now, suddenly, some of his dictates are falling flat with fellow Republicans.
—Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 20 Nov. 2025
Smaller countries in the region, especially in Southeast Asia, would have to submit to Beijing’s dictates.
—Eyck Freymann, Time, 4 Nov. 2025
Verb
Blacksmiths have relied on the softening glow of the forge since the Iron Age, and Metallurgy 101 dictates that thermal energy makes atoms slide past each other with ease.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 16 Feb. 2026
Of course, the genre dictates that a seemingly sure thing be vexed, and this rom-com is no different.
—Lisa Kennedy, Variety, 5 Feb. 2026
Vancouver, however, is absolutely considering the possibility of utilizing Lankinen as a shootout specialist and is willing to bring him in cold for the end-game event if the situation dictates it.
—Harman Dayal, New York Times, 2 Feb. 2026
The public trust doctrine dictates the state holds navigable waters in trust for the public up to the ordinary high water mark − a visual mark left by water.
—Caitlin Looby, jsonline.com, 30 Jan. 2026
Since then, the Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration (MDOT SHA) instituted a policy that dictates the opening of a work zone must be blocked by a protection vehicle, and an adjacent lane must be closed during construction work.
—Jt Moodee Lockman, CBS News, 30 Jan. 2026
Pawn shops were originally included in the ordinance, but have since been removed since Texas state law dictates that new pawn shops will not be approved if there is another one within two miles in counties with more than 250,000 people.
—Emily Holshouser, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 Jan. 2026
While reading develops cognitive agency by building a path through ideas, video dictates its own.
—Ryan Craig, Forbes.com, 23 Jan. 2026
The bill, which advanced from the Assembly Appropriations Committee on Thursday, would exempt Proposition 4 funding from review under the Administrative Procedure Act, which dictates how state agencies follow rules and regulations and can cause lengthy delays in implementing programs.
—Nadia Lathan, Los Angeles Times, 23 Jan. 2026
Noun
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
Russia is too big compared with Ukraine, and its willingness to fight on dictates that ending the war will require Ukraine to make concessions.
—Thomas Friedman, Mercury News, 5 Dec. 2025
However, the dictates of a person's conscience, religion, or personal philosophy cannot justify or excuse the disobedience of an otherwise lawful order.
—Christa Swanson, CBS News, 22 Nov. 2025
Now, suddenly, some of his dictates are falling flat with fellow Republicans.
—Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 20 Nov. 2025
Smaller countries in the region, especially in Southeast Asia, would have to submit to Beijing’s dictates.
—Eyck Freymann, Time, 4 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dictates
Verb
-
Judge orders his deportation An immigration judge ordered his removal in November, refusing to hear his asylum bid because he was found to be a human rights violator, according to an ICE spokesman and his lawyer.—
Jay Weaver,
Miami Herald,
13 Feb. 2026
-
Prosecutors say once inside the bar, Burkes points the gun at Drysdale, orders her around the bar, and takes items from the cash register and office.—
Sara Tenenbaum,
CBS News,
13 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Ice Box is an all-in-one, emergency and estate planner that organizes over 35 categories of essential documents, accounts, keys and instructions for both you and your next of kin.—
Tory Johnson,
ABC News,
16 Feb. 2026
-
Instead, there are instructions for each drug, referring consumers to manufacturers websites or coupons that can be used at local pharmacies.—
Ken Alltucker,
USA Today,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Technically, a local station only has to provide comparable time if a rival candidate requests it.—
Brian Stelter,
CNN Money,
18 Feb. 2026
-
However, Assistant City Manager Duffy said that the state requests that the city instead revisit the tax and issues a separate vote, but said that staff could make a note to come back to the discussion once the tournament ends on July 19.—
Taylor O'Connor,
Kansas City Star,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Covid-19 bred doubt about government edicts and skepticism about science, provoking an existential battle for truth.—
Richard Edelman,
Time,
18 Jan. 2026
-
Trump edicts weigh on stocks this week Geopolitical risks have weighed on investor sentiment this week.—
Pia Singh,
CNBC,
14 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
That also requires a level of play that the Aztecs (18-8, 12-4) have not approached in the last two games.—
Mark Zeigler,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
22 Feb. 2026
-
If a student’s name appears in both district and private-school enrollment, state law requires the student’s funding be frozen to prevent duplication.—
Natalie La Roche Pietri,
Miami Herald,
21 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The federal prosecutor’s office in Minnesota has been gutted by a wave of career officials resigning or retiring over objections to Trump administration directives.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
19 Feb. 2026
-
The federal prosecutor's office in Minnesota has been gutted by a wave of career officials resigning or retiring over objections to Trump administration directives.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The measure also mandates that the city maintain a minimum of 4,000 police officers — roughly 900 more than the department had in 2024.—
Landon Mion,
FOXNews.com,
16 Feb. 2026
-
In addition, the NFL alleged that the report card surveys interfered with the union’s upholding of Article 39, Section 5, which mandates that the league and union jointly conduct an anonymous survey at least once every three years regarding players’ opinions on medical care and staff.—
Antwan Staley,
New York Daily News,
13 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
When students understand what they’re supposed to do because directions are clear, that’s really helpful.—
Deni Ellis Béchard,
Scientific American,
17 Feb. 2026
-
Rail traffic between Newark and Seacacus is being funneled into only one track, which is meant to withstand trains in both directions.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
17 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dictates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dictates. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.
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