dictate
verb (used with object)
to say or read (something) aloud for another person to transcribe or for a machine to record.
has dictated
-
present perfectof dictate (3rd person singular).present perfect
Used to describe actions that started in the past and continue into or have direct relevance to the 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.
Crude’s advance has dictated both the gains we’ve seen this week in benchmark volatility gauges as well as the broader moves witnessed in domestic stock markets.
From Barron's ● Mar. 6, 2026
Across 77 apps, he has dictated nearly 300,000 words in the past five months — that’s equivalent to writing three novels.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 29, 2026
Sources have maintained Peter Angelos, the team’s 94-year-old owner who has been incapacitated for several years, has dictated in his will that the baseball team be sold upon his death.
From Washington Times ● Dec. 12, 2023
The potentially toxic response to the treatment has dictated where it can be administered.
From Salon ● Aug. 26, 2022
With an abiding faith in the justice of the Almighty, you have bided your time; tolerance has ever been your actuating principle; reason has dictated every appeal that you have made to your masters.
From The Transgressors Story of a Great Sin by Adams, Francis A.
