as in ordering
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in controlling
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dictating
Kathleen Peddicord, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
The American, on the other hand, saw a clear opening and started gaining more and more control, which ended up with Crawford dictating the pace in the championship rounds, leading up to his upset victory.
—Joel Thayer, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 Sep. 2025
Misa can make little plays and big plays with the puck while reading the game’s tempo and even dictating it.
—Eric Stephens, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2025
Directing, for him, is about guiding actors to their own realizations rather than dictating movement.
—Maria Williams, USA Today, 12 Sep. 2025
After a blast of discordantly jaunty music, the film opens with Sandy’s voice dictating a letter to his estranged brother Donal (Cumming), encouraging him to return to his homeland.
—Esther Zuckerman, IndieWire, 11 Sep. 2025
Rivas campaign spokesperson Elizabeth Ashford said the events Moreno referred were state-sponsored and did not violate California law dictating that campaign staff cannot direct state staff to work on campaign-side events.
—Lia Russell, Sacbee.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Jerstad encourages parents to have open conversations with their child about online boundaries instead of dictating barriers, highlighting how social media can have healthy impacts.
—Lani Ngonethong, Twin Cities, 30 Aug. 2025
But, as often happens in a production, the availability of the location was dictating that this scene coincide with Jerry’s arrival in Cincinnati, our main location, doubling for New York City in the 1940s.
—Howard Franklin, HollywoodReporter, 28 Aug. 2025
Adjective
European countries tax everything but most every country in Europe has a tax treaty with the United States dictating which country gets to tax which income first.
—Kathleen Peddicord, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
The American, on the other hand, saw a clear opening and started gaining more and more control, which ended up with Crawford dictating the pace in the championship rounds, leading up to his upset victory.
—Joel Thayer, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 Sep. 2025
Misa can make little plays and big plays with the puck while reading the game’s tempo and even dictating it.
—Eric Stephens, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2025
Directing, for him, is about guiding actors to their own realizations rather than dictating movement.
—Maria Williams, USA Today, 12 Sep. 2025
After a blast of discordantly jaunty music, the film opens with Sandy’s voice dictating a letter to his estranged brother Donal (Cumming), encouraging him to return to his homeland.
—Esther Zuckerman, IndieWire, 11 Sep. 2025
Rivas campaign spokesperson Elizabeth Ashford said the events Moreno referred were state-sponsored and did not violate California law dictating that campaign staff cannot direct state staff to work on campaign-side events.
—Lia Russell, Sacbee.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Jerstad encourages parents to have open conversations with their child about online boundaries instead of dictating barriers, highlighting how social media can have healthy impacts.
—Lani Ngonethong, Twin Cities, 30 Aug. 2025
But, as often happens in a production, the availability of the location was dictating that this scene coincide with Jerry’s arrival in Cincinnati, our main location, doubling for New York City in the 1940s.
—Howard Franklin, HollywoodReporter, 28 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dictating
Verb
-
An English menu makes ordering easy.—
Kaila Yu,
Forbes.com,
12 Sep. 2025
-
Pocketalk's Miller believes that the potential of the technology goes far beyond a tourist ordering a glass of wine in France.—
Kif Leswing,
CNBC,
12 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Small controlling actions can become bigger controlling actions.—
Thomas Westerholm,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Sep. 2025
-
Lepkowski described her cousin's ex as possessive, controlling and physically abusive.—
Nushrat Rahman,
Freep.com,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Democratic lawmakers in Congress questioned whether the plant at the center of the deadly listeria outbreak in 2024 is fit to reopen, requesting Boar's Head officials to face a federal food safety caucus.—
Fernando Cervantes Jr,
USA Today,
17 Sep. 2025
-
Fox News Digital reached out to cannabis industry organizations requesting comment.—
Khloe Quill,
FOXNews.com,
16 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Andersen, who previously worked for the San Antonio Police Department, has ruddy cheeks and a commanding presence.—
Rachel Monroe,
New Yorker,
16 Sep. 2025
-
Irvine ran the ball, passed the ball and slowed down Laguna Hills’ uptempo offense with a commanding defensive display.—
Martin Henderson,
Oc Register,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Thank you for asking about Pride Plays.—
H. Alan Scott,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Sep. 2025
-
Don’t be surprised if people start asking you for your aesthetician’s phone number in two months.—
Sophia Panych,
Allure,
16 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Russia, suffering from post-imperial syndrome, is an important member but not an equal partner.—
John Rennie Short,
The Conversation,
11 Sep. 2025
-
Russia has not rediscovered its imperial destiny.—
Jeremy Shapiro,
The Atlantic,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The tech giant is mandating a minimum of three in-office days a week for employees beginning February 2026, according to a Business Insider report.—
Jeremy Kahn,
Fortune,
11 Sep. 2025
-
Canales likely doesn’t want to cause an issue, especially this early in the season, by mandating how the defensive play-caller handles his various rotations and depth chart.—
Mike Kaye
September 10,
Charlotte Observer,
10 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Zane played the arrogant Cal Hockley, who was engaged to Jack's love interest, Rose (played by Kate Winslet).—
Virginia Chamlee,
People.com,
9 Sep. 2025
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Hardly seems like enough to cow these arrogant companies into behaving, especially when their business model is so intrinsically tied to hoovering up other people’s information and creative work.—
James Folta,
Literary Hub,
8 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dictating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dictating. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
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