as in controlling
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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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dictating
Paul Taylor, New York Times, 10 Jan. 2026
The 23-year-old forward was the one with the ball in his hands, dictating actions, making decisions.
—Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 13 Oct. 2025
Liam Twomey, New York Times, 11 June 2026
Swiss captain Granit Xhaka helped create the opening goal and spent the first half dictating tempo.
—Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 June 2026
Martinez has been dictating terms with a six-pitch mix that includes a four-seam fastball and sinker with an average velocity between 92 and 93.
—Tom Layberger, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026
The technologies now dictating global economic competition and our national security are built on a foundation of mining.
—Rich Nolan, Boston Herald, 1 June 2026
But the class divisions already dictating almost every aspect of higher education—from admissions to funding to reputation—will likely deepen.
—Jay Caspian Kang, New Yorker, 19 May 2026
Marseille’s bouillabaisse follows a 1980 charter dictating which fish can go in the pot.
—Lauren Schuster, Kansas City Star, 12 May 2026
Selecting that is always among the most difficult parts in his process, Cerrudo said, because music carries such weight in dictating the identity of a dance.
—Liz Rothaus Bertrand, Charlotte Observer, 6 May 2026
Connecticut became the first state to pass a speed limit law, dictating that no motor vehicle could exceed 12 mph in cities or 15 mph outside city limits.
—USA Today, 6 May 2026
Adjective
And these players were initially signed to help Forest become a side capable of retaining more possession and dictating games.
—Paul Taylor, New York Times, 10 Jan. 2026
The 23-year-old forward was the one with the ball in his hands, dictating actions, making decisions.
—Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 13 Oct. 2025
Verb
Pedri — Spain/Barcelona The indispensable midfield brain of Barcelona and Spain, equally capable of dictating possession in deeper areas and picking passes through the opposition lines in advanced ones.
—Liam Twomey, New York Times, 11 June 2026
Swiss captain Granit Xhaka helped create the opening goal and spent the first half dictating tempo.
—Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 June 2026
Martinez has been dictating terms with a six-pitch mix that includes a four-seam fastball and sinker with an average velocity between 92 and 93.
—Tom Layberger, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026
The technologies now dictating global economic competition and our national security are built on a foundation of mining.
—Rich Nolan, Boston Herald, 1 June 2026
But the class divisions already dictating almost every aspect of higher education—from admissions to funding to reputation—will likely deepen.
—Jay Caspian Kang, New Yorker, 19 May 2026
Marseille’s bouillabaisse follows a 1980 charter dictating which fish can go in the pot.
—Lauren Schuster, Kansas City Star, 12 May 2026
Selecting that is always among the most difficult parts in his process, Cerrudo said, because music carries such weight in dictating the identity of a dance.
—Liz Rothaus Bertrand, Charlotte Observer, 6 May 2026
Connecticut became the first state to pass a speed limit law, dictating that no motor vehicle could exceed 12 mph in cities or 15 mph outside city limits.
—USA Today, 6 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dictating
Adjective
-
Versant will become a minority, non-controlling investor in the company.—
Brian Steinberg,
Variety,
2 June 2026
-
ByteDance keeps a non-controlling stake to comply with federal law.—
Jon Markman,
Forbes.com,
20 May 2026
Verb
-
In bodycam footage, officers are heard ordering the driver to turn the vehicle off.—
Tim Fang,
CBS News,
10 June 2026
-
Several students testified that Metcalf, after ordering Anthony to leave his team’s tent, scoffed before Anthony reached a hand into a bag and pulled out a knife.—
Jamie Stengle,
Los Angeles Times,
9 June 2026
Adjective
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Starting Towns as the focal point in an attempt to take a commanding 3-1 lead was the right choice considering the team’s postseason success coinciding with his own success.—
Fiifi Frimpong,
New York Daily News,
11 June 2026
-
Laurie will play Control, the fiendish and commanding head of The Circus, Smiley’s morally fickle superior, known only by his code name.—
Lily Ford,
HollywoodReporter,
10 June 2026
Verb
-
The White House is requesting nearly $18 billion in 2027 to fund Golden Dome, particularly advanced research, sensors, and interceptors.—
Michael P. Dempsey,
Forbes.com,
5 June 2026
-
Read's lawyers are requesting a jury trial.—
Matt Schooley,
CBS News,
4 June 2026
Adjective
-
On Erdozain goes—through America’s imperial adventures in the late 19th century, its involvement in World War I, and then its immersion in the Cold War.—
Gal Beckerman,
The Atlantic,
8 June 2026
-
This region was well-developed and interconnected by imperial routes.—
Maria Mocerino,
Interesting Engineering,
7 June 2026
Verb
-
The body camera footage shows a shirtless Pino on another boat, and Brutto asking him if he was injured.—
David Goodhue,
Miami Herald,
10 June 2026
-
One knight short for the trial of seven that will determine if he is freed or if he will be mutilated by the crown, Dunk appeals to the honor of all knights present, asking them to take up his cause.—
Joe Otterson,
Variety,
10 June 2026
Adjective
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As Molloy gradually succeeds in puncturing Lestat’s aloof, arrogant outer shell, his sound correspondingly shifts from assaultive punk to more contemplative ballads.—
Alison Herman,
Variety,
7 June 2026
-
But Lobo isn't some mindless arrogant hulk out to impose his indomitable will.—
Jeff Spry,
Space.com,
6 June 2026
Verb
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Yet mandating local data storage will prevent the world’s best large language models from using domestic content to improve their accuracy in low-resource languages.—
Leonard Lim,
Fortune,
10 June 2026
-
The order, which Trump signed in private on June 2, stops short of mandating that the federal government conduct safety evaluations and cybersecurity testing for advanced AI products.—
Joey Garrison,
USA Today,
3 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dictating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dictating. Accessed 14 Jun. 2026.
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