dictate
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
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Gabriel Attal, a centrist rival to become president, said that "in France, no culture, no belief, no religion, nothing and no one can come and dictate to women what their place should be".
From Barron's ● Sep. 7, 2026
He is not necessarily the midfielder United would rely on to dictate possession.
From BBC ● Aug. 25, 2026
His comments will dictate the path forward for a tech-crazed stock market and an economy hoping the boom won’t go bust.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 24, 2026
In the short term, the Federal Reserve sets interest rates that dictate what businesses and individuals pay to borrow money.
From Slate ● Aug. 20, 2026
None of us knew much about the mice, except what we had heard Dr. Schultz dictate into his tape recorder.
From "Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH" by Robert C. O'Brien
So really, it’s the market that dictates how much they pay.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 7, 2026
Social Security’s full retirement age dictates when beneficiaries get 100% of what they’re owed in benefits, but the current rule has become outdated now that many Americans are living longer, experts said.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 2, 2026
The bulks list rather dictates what ingredients compounding pharmacies can use when mixing custom medications for patients with a specific prescription.
From Barron's ● Jul. 24, 2026
The plot of “Cape Fear” dictates that this sporting tale of homicidal pettiness can only end one way.
From Salon ● Jul. 17, 2026
“Our Pukhtunwali tenant of melmastia dictates that we do not turn out a guest once we have given them our hand in friendship and a place at our table.”
From "Shooting Kabul" by N. H. Senzai
Whether or not you do a Roth conversion in your 80s will also be dictated by your deductions and advice from the aforementioned CFP on what taxes you will pay during your “conversion window.”
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 25, 2026
The exact terms of the AI funding arrangement are vague and will likely be dictated by what investors will agree to.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 12, 2026
If no one claims the prize by next Thursday, the money will go to public schools in California as dictated by the statute.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 12, 2026
At Aston Martin, Lance Stroll finished in 13th, ahead of team-mate Fernando Alonso, their positions dictated to a degree by luck under the VSC and their divergent strategies.
From BBC ● Jul. 26, 2026
Their problem was that they were trapped in roles dictated by the heavy weight of their country’s cultural legacy.
From "Outliers" by Malcolm Gladwell
The administration has completed a framework dictating which models will be subject to federal government review before they are released publicly, a White House official said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 1, 2026
Some communities have strong cultural traditions dictating who should fill the caretaker role — in many cases, that’s the eldest daughter.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 27, 2026
“It just seemed like he was dictating counts all day long,” Roberts said, “versus trying to be too fine, getting behind.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 19, 2026
“People seem to be obsessed with now dictating what I’ll do and when?!”
From Salon ● Jun. 25, 2026
“He gave orders on every phase of life, even dictating what sort of clothes I should wear and where I should buy them,” she recalled.
From "The Woman All Spies Fear" by Amy Butler Greenfield
Vocabulary lists containing dictate
The SAT: Language of the Test, List 3
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You Can Say That Again: Dic and Dict
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The New SAT: The Language of the Test
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