Meaning & use
dictates
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“dictates” is a form of “dictate”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
verbtransitive or intransitive
Third-person form of dictate: controls, decides or strongly determines what happens or what someone must do.
Grammar: Takes an object or clause: the budget dictates the choice. Can also be used with to: she dictates to her staff.
Patterns
- something dictates something
- someone dictates to someone
- something dictates that ...
The weather dictates when the farmers plant their crops.
Her contract dictates that she cannot work for rivals.
He dictates to his team as if he were the owner.
verbtransitive or intransitive
Says words aloud so that another person, or a machine, can write or record them.
Grammar: Takes an object: she dictates a letter. Can also be used alone: he dictates while she types.
Patterns
- dictate something to someone
The manager dictates letters to her assistant every morning.
She dictates her notes into a recorder during the drive.
He dictates while his secretary types.
nounusually pluralformal
Orders or rules that must be obeyed, or principles that guide someone's behavior.
Grammar: Usually plural, often followed by of: the dictates of fashion.
Patterns
- the dictates of something
She followed the dictates of her conscience and resigned.
Designers follow the dictates of fashion each season.
He refused to obey the dictates of the committee.
Word forms
| base form | dictate |
|---|---|
| past tense | dictated |
| -ing form | dictating |
Common combinations
- dictates the terms
- The winner dictates the terms of the peace treaty.
- dictates the pace
- The slowest hiker dictates the pace of the group.
- the dictates of conscience
- He acted on the dictates of his conscience.
- dictates to
- She dictates to her assistant every afternoon.
- dictates a letter
- The director dictates a letter and her assistant types it.
Synonyms and how they differ
- determines
- This is more neutral and means decides the result, while dictates suggests stronger, more forceful control.
- orders
- This is a plain word for commanding a person, while dictates is often used with an abstract subject such as the weather.
- commands
- This is stronger and more military in tone, whereas dictates may refer to the influence of a condition or rule.
- imposes
- This stresses forcing something on others, while dictates can also mean simply controlling the result.
Opposites
Word family
- dictator noun
- a ruler with absolute power
- dictation noun
- words spoken for someone to write down
- dictatorial adjective
- behaving like a dictator, bossy
- dictatorship noun
- government by one ruler with total power
Commonly confused: dictates or dictates / dicta? dictates or predicates?
dictates vs dictates / dicta
Dicta is a legal plural for formal remarks; ordinary writers use dictates for rules or orders.
dictates vs predicates
Predicates states something as true or forms part of a sentence; it does not mean to control or order.
Practice
The size of the budget ___ what kind of venue we can afford for the wedding.
Choose one answer.
Dictates means strongly determines. Predicts means says in advance, describes gives details, and resembles means looks like, none of which show control.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “dictates”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.