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
Tim Lammers, Forbes.com, 31 May 2026
The consensus among the front office staffers that The Athletic spoke to is that the recruit ultimately dictates the timing.
—Antonio Morales, New York Times, 28 May 2026
As a school-leaving-age young woman in 2012, simple maths dictates that she must have been conceived around the time of a conflict that was also defined by the use of mass rape as a weapon of war.
—Jessica Kiang, Variety, 26 May 2026
The genre, topic, and presentation of the blog also dictates how the audience views the credibility of the blogger.
—Jeremy Saks, Encyclopedia Britannica, 26 May 2026
State law dictates that with the indictment, O’Malley will now be suspended without pay.
—Colleen Cronin, Boston Herald, 20 May 2026
This environment dictates utilization of sea-bed crawler unmanned systems these can be legged, tracked or can employ both for locomotion.
—Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 14 May 2026
For me, color is the emotional landscape of the room and totally dictates the mood for every space.
—Eleni N. Gage, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 May 2026
There is a strong matriarchal figure whose presence dictates the course of action.
—Christopher Smith, Oc Register, 9 May 2026
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
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
Verb
Like many studios, A24 tends to follow a pattern that dictates when their theatrical releases are released on digital streaming via premium video on demand.
—Tim Lammers, Forbes.com, 31 May 2026
The consensus among the front office staffers that The Athletic spoke to is that the recruit ultimately dictates the timing.
—Antonio Morales, New York Times, 28 May 2026
As a school-leaving-age young woman in 2012, simple maths dictates that she must have been conceived around the time of a conflict that was also defined by the use of mass rape as a weapon of war.
—Jessica Kiang, Variety, 26 May 2026
The genre, topic, and presentation of the blog also dictates how the audience views the credibility of the blogger.
—Jeremy Saks, Encyclopedia Britannica, 26 May 2026
State law dictates that with the indictment, O’Malley will now be suspended without pay.
—Colleen Cronin, Boston Herald, 20 May 2026
This environment dictates utilization of sea-bed crawler unmanned systems these can be legged, tracked or can employ both for locomotion.
—Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 14 May 2026
For me, color is the emotional landscape of the room and totally dictates the mood for every space.
—Eleni N. Gage, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 May 2026
There is a strong matriarchal figure whose presence dictates the course of action.
—Christopher Smith, Oc Register, 9 May 2026
Noun
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
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dictates
Verb
-
So the Devil orders the father to cut off his daughter’s offending hands.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 June 2026
-
If the other person orders you to bring them a lemonade, don’t do it.—
Attia Qureshi,
Time,
1 June 2026
Noun
-
Below, check out the differences between the VPNs, along with step-by-step instructions on how to use them to watch Love Island UK in the US.—
Jason Pham,
StyleCaster,
1 June 2026
-
Hence, sharing complex mission data or receiving new instructions forces the drones to halt operations and swim all the way back to the surface.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
1 June 2026
Verb
-
When a party requests that a proceeding be sealed, a judge will often solicit input from the other side and allow third parties, such as the public and news media, to also provide input.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
3 June 2026
-
The order — which requests AI developers' participation on a voluntary basis — comes as AI companies race to roll out new models and, in some cases, enter the public market.—
Alex Harring,
CNBC,
3 June 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
-
The program currently requires companies to submit a plan to the EPA outlining safety precautions, hazard assessments in the case of an accidental release and emergency response steps.—
Evan Bush,
NBC news,
30 May 2026
-
This super athletic girl requires a yard with a high fence.—
Maryanne Dell,
Oc Register,
30 May 2026
Noun
-
But Claude took some of the new directives a bit too seriously; suddenly, every fake passage was filled with characters hopping on a horse, or delivering an important package, or running.—
Jay Caspian Kang,
New Yorker,
2 June 2026
-
Secretaries were also tasked with identifying repeat audit findings where additional resources would be needed to solve issues, among other directives from the governor.—
Danielle J. Brown,
Baltimore Sun,
28 May 2026
Verb
-
Senate Bill 53 mandates transparency and safety disclosures for high-capacity models.—
Hansa Bhargava,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2026
-
Wisconsin law mandates that an arrest be made if an officer has a reasonable basis to believe that a crime committed involves domestic violence.—
Matt Schneidman,
New York Times,
27 May 2026
Noun
-
Pedestrians surged in all directions along the sidewalks.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 June 2026
-
Some of the resort offerings feel a little forced (or like an episode of White Lotus), especially the Haab dinner experience when locals dress up in traditional Maya garb and put on a performance to honor the four cardinal directions.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
3 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dictates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dictates. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
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