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
Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 25 Mar. 2026
Football is king in the SEC and dictates the buckets of television money the conference doles out.
—Justin Williams, New York Times, 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
The participants are randomized to one of three blocks of time throughout the day, which dictates when the drug is infused into their arm.
—Lauren J. Young, Scientific American, 17 Mar. 2026
Some would say, some did say to us, that’s just democracy in action and those are the interested parties, entitled to support their preferred candidate as the system dictates.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 17 Mar. 2026
Issues related to staffing levels and job responsibilities have traditionally been addressed through collective bargaining between employers and unions, not through legislation that dictates how businesses must organize their operations.
—Wayne Pesce, Hartford Courant, 16 Mar. 2026
The song dictates the importance of resilience and the presence of love and support that surrounds us all.
—Sherri Gordon, Parents, 15 Mar. 2026
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
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
Verb
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
Football is king in the SEC and dictates the buckets of television money the conference doles out.
—Justin Williams, New York Times, 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
The participants are randomized to one of three blocks of time throughout the day, which dictates when the drug is infused into their arm.
—Lauren J. Young, Scientific American, 17 Mar. 2026
Some would say, some did say to us, that’s just democracy in action and those are the interested parties, entitled to support their preferred candidate as the system dictates.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 17 Mar. 2026
Issues related to staffing levels and job responsibilities have traditionally been addressed through collective bargaining between employers and unions, not through legislation that dictates how businesses must organize their operations.
—Wayne Pesce, Hartford Courant, 16 Mar. 2026
The song dictates the importance of resilience and the presence of love and support that surrounds us all.
—Sherri Gordon, Parents, 15 Mar. 2026
Noun
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
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
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
-
Logic suggested that when these instructions were followed, the parasite should produce similar amounts of each protein.—
Melissa Fleur Afshar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Repeat 3 to 5 times, or as many times as the instructions recommend.—
Jesse Raub,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
30 Mar. 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
-
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
-
After all, walking requires no gym membership, expensive equipment or specialized training and is accessible to nearly everyone and can be done almost anywhere.—
Daryl Austin,
USA Today,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Navigating the country can take time and often requires long drives and a 4x4 vehicle, especially during the green season.—
Meghan Palmer,
Condé Nast Traveler,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
That includes planning, organizing, evaluating and directing the work of the ALI based on legal mandates, changing and emergent training needs, departmental priorities, directives, statutes, and strategic goals.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
25 Mar. 2026
-
Sable has been accused of repeatedly ignoring the directives of state and local officials, as well as committing criminal acts related to California environmental and coastal laws.—
Grace Toohey,
Los Angeles Times,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
State law mandates the sale of tobacco to people aged 21 or older.—
Clifford Ward,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Multiple Sacramento Bee readers reached out to the service journalism team earlier this year, wondering if the state mandates licensing or permitting for local lemonade stands.—
Brianna Taylor,
Sacbee.com,
26 Mar. 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 3 Apr. 2026.
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