Meaning & use
dictate my life
Last updated
Meaning
phrasefixed phrase
To control or decide how I live, often in a way that limits my freedom.
Grammar: Used with a possessive adjective before 'life': dictate my/your/his/her/our/their life. The verb 'dictate' can also take an object: dictate the terms.
Patterns
- dictate my life
- dictate your life
- dictate someone's life
I feel like my boss dictates my life because I have to work late every night.
She doesn't want her parents to dictate her life; she wants to make her own choices.
Money problems shouldn't dictate my life.
Common combinations
- dictate my life
- I won't let fear dictate my life.
- dictate your life
- You shouldn't let social media dictate your life.
- dictate someone's life
- He tries to dictate his girlfriend's life, and she hates it.
- let something dictate your life
- Don't let one mistake dictate your life.
Synonyms and how they differ
- control my life
- More direct and general; 'dictate my life' often suggests forcing decisions on someone.
- rule my life
- Stronger and more dramatic; 'rule' suggests complete power, while 'dictate' focuses on giving orders.
Word family
Commonly confused: dictate my life or dictate your life?
dictate my life vs dictate your life
The same phrase but with 'your' instead of 'my'. Use 'my' when you are talking about yourself.
Practice
I don't want my parents to ______ my life; I need to make my own decisions.
Choose one answer.
After 'to' in an infinitive, we use the base form 'dictate'. 'Dictates' is third-person singular, 'dictating' is the -ing form, and 'dictation' is a noun, so none of them fit grammatically here.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “dictate my life”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.