dictate
Americanverb (used with object)
-
dictates,
present (3rd person singular)
-
dictated,
past participle, past
-
dictating
present participle
-
to say or read (something) aloud for another person to transcribe or for a machine to record.
to dictate some letters to a secretary.
-
to prescribe or lay down authoritatively or peremptorily; command unconditionally.
to dictate peace terms to a conquered enemy.
verb (used without object)
-
dictates,
present (3rd person singular)
-
dictated,
past participle, past
-
dictating
present participle
-
to say or read aloud something to be written down by a person or recorded by a machine.
-
to give orders.
noun
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dictates
plural
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an authoritative order or command.
-
a guiding or governing principle, requirement, etc..
to follow the dictates of one's conscience.
- Synonyms:
- bidding
verb
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to say (messages, letters, speeches, etc) aloud for mechanical recording or verbatim transcription by another person
-
(tr) to prescribe (commands) authoritatively
-
(intr) to act in a tyrannical manner; seek to impose one's will on others
noun
-
an authoritative command
-
a guiding principle or rule
the dictates of reason
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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redictateverb
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predictateverb (used with object)
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misdictatedadjective
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undictatedadjective
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dictatinglyadverb
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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dictatesimple
-
dictatessimple
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have dictatedperfect
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has dictatedperfect
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am dictatingprogressive
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are dictatingprogressive
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is dictatingprogressive
-
have been dictatingperfect progressive
-
has been dictatingperfect progressive
Past
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dictatedsimple
-
had dictatedperfect
-
was dictatingprogressive
-
were dictatingprogressive
-
had been dictatingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of dictate
First recorded in 1585–95; from Latin dictātus “said repeatedly,” past participle of dictāre “to say repeatedly, order, prescribe,” from dīcere “to say, speak, tell”
Explanation
When you dictate something, you are giving orders — acting a bit like a dictator. Dictate can also be used in a broader sense. Weather often dictates how many layers of clothes you wear, and the school rules dictate how you behave in and out of class. In a very different meaning, dictate means to say something out loud to a person or into a machine so it can be recorded. Up until fairly recently, bosses dictated letters and reports to secretaries who wrote them down.
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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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.
See Examples For:
The timing of his return to the mound will dictate how long the build-up will be.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 3, 2026
“We are there to facilitate it, not to dictate it,” Rubio told reporters on a trip to Asia last week.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 1, 2026
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who supports Stevens, doesn’t dictate each race, and some of his preferences are made more overt than others.
From Slate ● Jul. 30, 2026
They are naturally occuring in the body, signaling molecules that dictate major physiological processes like tissue repair or metabolism.
From Barron's ● Jul. 23, 2026
Maddy shook her head sadly and said, “Okay. You dictate, and I’ll write it.”
From "Uglies" by Scott Westerfeld
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
“Because the passions of men will not conform to the dictates of reason and justice, without constraint.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 30, 2026
She believes that if all the signs point to a partner-less destiny anyway, then she may as well flout the dictates of her mother and the marriage mart.
From Salon ● Jun. 25, 2026
For this reason, investors should reconsider the traditional portfolio that dictates a portfolio balance of 60% stocks and 40% bonds, after they have been leaning heavily into equities for years.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 13, 2026
That consideration dictates single authorship, despite all the difficulties that it poses.
From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond
In a Facebook post in which she also posted a letter asking to be relieved of her duties, Stefanishyna said the decision was her own and "dictated by personal circumstances".
From Barron's ● Aug. 3, 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
Spain dictated possession for much of the afternoon while Argentina defended stubbornly, forcing the final into extra time before the breakthrough finally came.
From Salon ● Jul. 19, 2026
The size of recruit classes are dictated by the department’s annual budget, which is approved by the City Council before each fiscal year.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 8, 2026
We sat at our desks quietly while Mrs. Backus, our teacher, dictated the spelling words we had to learn by that Friday.
From "March Forward, Girl" by Melba Pattillo Beals
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
With 2.8 trillion parameters dictating its decision-making, Kimi K3 is the world’s biggest open-source model, according to the Beijing-based startup.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 17, 2026
“People seem to be obsessed with now dictating what I’ll do and when?!”
From Salon ● Jun. 25, 2026
The house was taking over again, and dictating to him about what he must feel and do.
From "I'm the King of the Castle" by Susan Hill
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.
