noun
Etymology
Origin of behest
before 1000; Middle English bihest ( e ), Old English behǣs promise. See be-, hest
Explanation
Behest is an authoritative command or request. If your boss or principal asks to see you, you go to their office at their behest. Behest rhymes with "request" and they almost mean the same thing, if you give your request a little authoritative oomph, just a tad bit of "or else." Another difference between these words is that you can't use behest as a verb: You can't behest someone. You act according to their behest. The root word here is the Old English hehaes, means "a vow."
Vocabulary lists containing behest
Romeo and Juliet
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This Week in Words: August 6 - 10, 2018
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Beowulf vocabulary
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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.
For instance, he might have threatened to repeal the $25 minimum wage for healthcare workers the state enacted in 2023 at the union’s behest.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 28, 2026
In 1983, at the behest of President Ronald Reagan, he chaired the bipartisan commission that was tasked with rescuing Social Security from financial collapse.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 23, 2026
A behest, after all, is by definition a command or at least a strong suggestion.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 20, 2026
He gave the example of a hot trend in "agentic" AI in which digital assistants handle computer tasks independently at the behest of people.
From Barron's ● Apr. 29, 2026
Michael Kammerer, a senior, played the reformed convict Jean Valjean, and he was among those in the cast who, at Volpe’s behest, had gone trash-picking for elements of the set.
From "Drama High" by Michael Sokolove
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
