dictated; dictating
1
: to utter words to be transcribed : to give dictation
dictate for the stenographer
2
: to speak or act domineeringly : prescribe
resents being dictated to
1
: to speak or read for a person to transcribe or for a machine to record
dictating a letter to her secretary
2
a
: to issue as an order
b
: to impose, pronounce, or specify authoritatively
dictate the terms of surrender
… the league will dictate policy for all teams …—
Alex Yannis
Alex Yannis
c
: to require or determine necessarily
injuries dictated the choice of players
The weather will dictate how long we stay.
1
a
: an authoritative rule, prescription, or injunction
the dictates of the party
b
: a ruling principle
according to the dictates of your conscience
2
: a command by one in authority
papal dictates
Synonyms
Examples of dictate in a Sentence
Verb
She's dictating a letter to her secretary.
They insisted on being able to dictate the terms of surrender.
Tradition dictates that the youngest member should go first.
The basket's function dictates its size and shape.
Noun
a starchily worded dictate from on high concerning the company's dress code
Recent Examples on the Web
Ashley Thess, Outdoor Life, 14 Nov. 2024
For those who choose to downsize their rides out of necessity, safety becomes an even more critical buying consideration, as the laws of physics dictate that a smaller and lighter vehicle won’t fare as well at protecting its occupants in a crash as will a larger and heavier one.
—Jim Gorzelany, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
Gideon Lewis-Kraus, The New Yorker, 21 Oct. 2024
The Soviet leadership must find the wisdom to settle this case quickly in accordance with the dictates of simple human decency and of civilized national behavior.
—Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 21 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for dictate 
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Verb
Water Resistance Ingress Protection (IP) ratings dictate the dust and water resistance of a product.
—Ashley Thess, Outdoor Life, 14 Nov. 2024
For those who choose to downsize their rides out of necessity, safety becomes an even more critical buying consideration, as the laws of physics dictate that a smaller and lighter vehicle won’t fare as well at protecting its occupants in a crash as will a larger and heavier one.
—Jim Gorzelany, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
Noun
The new kind of citizen might happen to reside in Tokyo or Los Angeles or São Paulo, but would live by the dictates of an operating system in the cloud.
—Gideon Lewis-Kraus, The New Yorker, 21 Oct. 2024
The Soviet leadership must find the wisdom to settle this case quickly in accordance with the dictates of simple human decency and of civilized national behavior.
—Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 21 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for dictate
Dictionary Entries Near dictate
Cite this Entry
“Dictate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dictate. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
dictate
2 of 2 nounˈdik-ˌtāt
: an order or direction given with authority : command
the dictates of conscience
Etymology
Verb
from Latin dictatus, past participle of dictare "to assert, dictate," from dicere "to say" — related to dictionary, predict, verdict
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