dictate to
phrasal verb
dictated to; dictating to; dictates to
: to give orders to (someone)
—usually used as (be) dictated to
I resent being dictated to by someone with half my experience.
Examples of dictate to in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Fifth-floor dictates to the council from a mayor as unpopular as Johnson merely poison the well the next time the administration needs council approval.
—
The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 28 Mar. 2025
Focus on your own efforts to organize your surroundings and don’t dictate to others.
—Georgia Nicols, The Denver Post, 12 Mar. 2025
Stern suggests that governments may have to begin imagining today’s multinational giants, such as Google and Microsoft, in terms reminiscent of the East India Company; not as subjects to be dictated to by states, but as actors with rights and obligations not unlike those of states.
—Caroline Elkins, Foreign Affairs, 22 Aug. 2023
Companies that run pilot programs and adjust based on feedback create environments where employees feel involved, not dictated to.
—Dr. Diane Hamilton, Forbes, 14 Mar. 2025
The Philippines can’t dictate to the ICC when to issue a warrant, or to whom.
—Lisandro Claudio, The Conversation, 12 Mar. 2025
That de-escalation can be expected to last about as long as the two countries’ intemperate presidents manage to stay off X.
But for excellent historical reasons, Latin Americans hate being dictated to by gringos and won’t support leaders who meekly allow it.
—Quico Toro, The Atlantic, 27 Jan. 2025
Trump agreed and started dictating to his press team.
—Barak Ravid, Axios, 16 Jan. 2025
Whispering Mode lets users dictate to Flow when others are around simply by whispering the words.
—Mark Sparrow, Forbes, 30 Sep. 2024
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The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 28 Mar. 2025
Focus on your own efforts to organize your surroundings and don’t dictate to others.
—Georgia Nicols, The Denver Post, 12 Mar. 2025
Stern suggests that governments may have to begin imagining today’s multinational giants, such as Google and Microsoft, in terms reminiscent of the East India Company; not as subjects to be dictated to by states, but as actors with rights and obligations not unlike those of states.
—Caroline Elkins, Foreign Affairs, 22 Aug. 2023
Companies that run pilot programs and adjust based on feedback create environments where employees feel involved, not dictated to.
—Dr. Diane Hamilton, Forbes, 14 Mar. 2025
The Philippines can’t dictate to the ICC when to issue a warrant, or to whom.
—Lisandro Claudio, The Conversation, 12 Mar. 2025
That de-escalation can be expected to last about as long as the two countries’ intemperate presidents manage to stay off X.
But for excellent historical reasons, Latin Americans hate being dictated to by gringos and won’t support leaders who meekly allow it.
—Quico Toro, The Atlantic, 27 Jan. 2025
Trump agreed and started dictating to his press team.
—Barak Ravid, Axios, 16 Jan. 2025
Whispering Mode lets users dictate to Flow when others are around simply by whispering the words.
—Mark Sparrow, Forbes, 30 Sep. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Dictate to.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dictate%20to. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.
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