Did you know?
Behest is an ancient word: it is almost a thousand years old. It was formed from the prefix be- and the verb hātan ("to command" or "to promise"), and its Old English ancestor was used exclusively in the sense of "promise," a now-obsolete meaning that continued on in Middle English especially in the phrase "the land of behest." The "command" meaning of behest is also ancient but it's still in good use, typically referring to an authoritative order. Behest is now also used with a less weighty meaning; it can refer to an urgent prompting, as in "a repeat performance at the behest of the troupe's fans."
Synonyms
Examples of behest in a Sentence
Audrey Dutton, ProPublica, 11 Nov. 2024
Apparently at the behest of Garcia, the couple moved to Napa Valley in 2020, following her retirement from professional wrestling.
—Martha Ross, The Mercury News, 7 Nov. 2024
The special formula is made at the behest of neonatologists who know that once a mother’s milk runs dry, only this special formula and that of Reckitt Benckiser works.
—Jim Cramer, CNBC, 3 Nov. 2024
Episode 9 reveals more about Agatha's backstory with Death, who came for Nicholas when he was supposed to die in childbirth, but gave him more time at the behest of a desperate Agatha.
—Nick Romano, EW.com, 31 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for behest 
Articles Related to behest
Dictionary Entries Near behest
Cite this Entry
“Behest.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/behest. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
behest
noun
Share