dictate
verb (used with object)
to say or read (something) aloud for another person to transcribe or for a machine to record.
were dictating
-
past progressiveof dictate.past progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
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.
Kelly's departure was not a smooth one after she claimed City were "dictating" who she could or could not join in her social media post on Wednesday.
From BBC ● Jan. 30, 2025
He sounds eerily as though he were dictating his own epitaph.
From The Guardian ● May 24, 2018
The court said the restrictions didn't violate freedom of movement if German authorities were dictating residency requirements based on its assessment of the best way to integrate them into society.
From US News ● Mar. 1, 2016
Blumenthal didn’t sound angry; he sounded as if he were dictating a letter.
From New York Times ● Sep. 25, 2010
The sergeants were dictating numbers, communicated in a low voice by another gunner who had a telephone receiver at his ear.
From The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse by Jordan, Charlotte Brewster
