dictate
verb (used with object)
to say or read (something) aloud for another person to transcribe or for a machine to record.
is dictating
-
present progressiveof dictate (3rd person singular).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.
"Our zip code is dictating our health, and plastics therefore are a major environmental justice issue, because these are communities of color and low-income communities," Enck said.
From Barron's ● Jan. 22, 2026
"Almost everything you read is there because somebody placed it there - somebody is dictating a story."
From BBC ● Mar. 10, 2025
“There are sections of the coalition, which also include some high-ranking civil servants, who hate it when they feel that Brussels is dictating conditions,” said Francesco Galietti, founder of political risk consultancy Policy Sonar.
From Reuters ● Jun. 29, 2023
“To be clear, this is not a case where the health department is dictating closure due to an on-campus outbreak,” Lake Washington officials said.
From Seattle Times ● Jan. 11, 2022
Morally, of course, the two phrases mean the same thing; and one who, like St. Paul, is dictating a letter, is specially liable to verbal confusions even when his thought is clear.
From St. Paul's Epistle to the Romans, Vol. I A Practical Exposition by Charles Gore
