dictate
verb (used with object)
to say or read (something) aloud for another person to transcribe or for a machine to record.
are dictating
-
present progressiveof dictate.present progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or state that is currently taking place in the immediate present.
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.
"If the sheep are dictating safety and the wolves are not, then there's no purpose," Brockman said Musk allegedly told employees at the time.
From Barron's ● May 5, 2026
As supply constraints in the Middle East ripple across regions, pricing dynamics are dictating where the pinch hits hardest.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 23, 2026
A growing number of software developers in Silicon Valley are dictating coding instructions for hours at a time instead of typing.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 29, 2026
Antoine Glaser, a journalist whose 2021 book translates as “Macron’s African trap,” said that Africans are dictating the changing relationship.
From Seattle Times ● Sep. 4, 2023
I might suppose after all these years you would place some reliance on my judgment; but, no, you will keep up your croaking until our troops are dictating terms at Washington.
From The Battle Ground by Glasgow, Ellen Anderson Gholson
