Meaning & use
dictate
To state or command something with authority, or to speak words aloud for someone else to write down.
See it in a sentence
The general dictated the terms of the ceasefire without allowing room for negotiation.
She dictated the letter to her assistant, who typed it up word for word.
A note on using this word
As a noun, dictates refers to rules or requirements that must be followed, as in the dictates of fashion.
Words with a similar meaning
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
Another way to use it
2. noun
A rule, principle, or requirement that must be obeyed, often from tradition or authority.
He ignored the dictates of convention and wore sneakers to the formal dinner.
Make it your own
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