dictate 1 of 2

as in to order
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

dictate

2 of 2

noun

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of dictate
Verb
Article 5 is a core tenet of the alliance and dictates that an armed attack on any member is to be considered an attack on all. Alexandra Hutzler, ABC News, 6 Mar. 2025 On December 8, immediately after Assad fled Syria for Russia, Trump tweeted that Syria’s future is not a matter for the United States to dictate. Robert S. Ford, Foreign Affairs, 5 Mar. 2025
Noun
But his drinking problem, which Susan first noticed on the Dirty Dancing tour a dozen years earlier, had grown into a major issue on a tour that, according to a Starr dictate, was 100 percent dry. Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 19 Jan. 2025 The conservative preference for habit and custom over dictate and fiat recognizes that the plant must fit the soil. Dan McLaughlin, National Review, 30 Dec. 2024 See All Example Sentences for dictate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dictate
Verb
  • The strikes conducted Saturday by the U.S. military against Ansar Allah targets marked the largest-scale operation ordered by Trump since beginning his second non-consecutive term in office in January.
    David Faris, Newsweek, 18 Mar. 2025
  • They could be ordered through a catalog and were relatively affordable, said Anuja Navare, the director of collections at the Pasadena Museum of History, which maintains a private registry of homes with Batchelder tiles.
    Laura J. Nelson, Los Angeles Times, 18 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Consider spreading a very thin (¼-inch thick) layer of topsoil across the planting area before sowing seed according to label instructions.
    Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 14 Mar. 2025
  • Keep tower fans dust-free and in good working condition with these easy-to-follow cleaning instructions.
    Jolie Kerr, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Several school board members requested Thursday that outside experts opine on Chicago Public Schools’ budget woes.
    Nell Salzman, Chicago Tribune, 14 Mar. 2025
  • Myles Garret requested a trade, but shockingly turned around and signed a huge extension not long after.
    Mark Davis, Newsweek, 14 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Ivy Nile Chad Gable hit the ring in a full suit and Michael Cole, who still believes Chad Gable was under the Lucha mask last week, asked Gable where his Lucha mask was.
    Alfred Konuwa, Forbes, 17 Mar. 2025
  • The lawyers asked Boasberg to review whether the government complied with his order.
    Joey Garrison, USA TODAY, 17 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Officers and directors have enough problems trying to balance the turbulence of new governmental edicts with pressing economic and operational challenges.
    Michael Peregrine, Forbes, 7 Mar. 2025
  • Over the next decade, New Yorkers should brace for a steady wave of rising energy costs as new infrastructure will be needed to fulfill the all-electric construction edict enacted here.
    Kris DeLair, New York Daily News, 7 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • However, some stellar reinforcements will be required as Hughes and Slot seek to put their stamp on the squad.
    James Pearce, The Athletic, 19 Mar. 2025
  • The Top Safety Pick awardees required an acceptable rating.
    Tanya Mohn, Forbes, 19 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • The orchestra has no music director to push it in this or that direction.
    Mark Swed, Los Angeles Times, 15 Mar. 2025
  • In the case of substance addictions such as involving alcohol, drugs, tobacco/nicotine, and other substance use disorders (SUD), generative AI can steer you in that direction.
    Lance Eliot, Forbes, 15 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • No halfway measure, but Bove still wants to keep his hooks in the fish in case Washington chooses to resume the matter later on (and to make sure that Adams follows their directives).
    New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 9 Mar. 2025
  • Trump’s directive tells the Education Department to propose new regulations, which is a bureaucratic journey.
    Shahar Ziv, Forbes, 8 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Dictate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dictate. Accessed 23 Mar. 2025.

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