dictating 1 of 2

adjective

as in controlling

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dictating

2 of 2

verb

present participle of dictate
as in ordering
to request the doing of by virtue of one's authority dictated that the terms of surrender be negotiated by his senior staff

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of dictating
Adjective
The 23-year-old forward was the one with the ball in his hands, dictating actions, making decisions. — Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 13 Oct. 2025 And these players were initially signed to help Forest become a side capable of retaining more possession and dictating games. — Paul Taylor, New York Times, 10 Jan. 2026
Verb
Rodriguez almost played as an auxiliary right-back instead of an orthodox right-winger, dropping deep and dictating play. — Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 24 June 2026 According to Reuters, in the lead-up to SpaceX’s IPO Musk was dictating terms to Goldman Sachs and other banks. — Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 20 June 2026 The data underscores that while clean energy scales, overall decarbonization remains insufficient, with regional shifts dictating global progress. — Robert Rapier, Forbes.com, 5 July 2026 Both men were experiencing mental health crises when they were shot, and the incidents sparked calls from community members for accountability, including new legislation dictating how police should respond during a mental health crisis. — Emilia Otte, Hartford Courant, 13 June 2026 Recorded in Los Angeles, the Turks and Caicos, and France, KOBE credits the ambiance of each setting with dictating the mixtape’s production. — Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 12 June 2026 With no federal regulations dictating what information labels should include, the stamps have led to consumer confusion — and nearly 20% of the nation’s food waste, according to the Food and Drug Administration. — Olga R. Rodriguez, Fortune, 2 July 2026 With no federal regulations dictating what information labels should include, the stamps have led to consumer confusion — and nearly 20% of the nation’s food waste, according to the Food and Drug Administration. — ABC News, 1 July 2026 Her exhibit design vision, envisaged in partnership with partner Paul Cournet and his studio Cloud, incorporated luminescence and hues that radiated from the gems, dictating the color palette of purple, green, yellow and pink. — Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 25 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dictating
  1. controlling
  2. ordering
  3. commanding
  4. requesting
  5. imperial
  6. asking
  7. arrogant
  8. mandating
Adjective
  • Versant will become a minority, non-controlling investor in the company.
    — Brian Steinberg, Variety, 2 June 2026
  • ByteDance keeps a non-controlling stake to comply with federal law.
    — Jon Markman, Forbes.com, 20 May 2026
Definition of controlling
Verb
  • Get $25 off catering orders of $250 or more from July 3–5 with code CATER250 when ordering in-app or online.
    — Mike Snider, USA Today, 2 July 2026
  • The suspect, identified only as Innocent S under German privacy rules, is accused of ordering the deaths of 25 Tutsis on five separate occasions while serving as an assistant to the mayor of Kayove in northwestern Rwanda.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 1 July 2026
Definition of ordering
Adjective
  • And beyond all the light and magic of their goals, this was just a very commanding team performance.
    — Jack Lang, New York Times, 1 July 2026
  • The venue falls within the NYPD's Patrol Borough Manhattan South, whose commanding officer was reassigned last week amid an internal affairs corruption probe.
    — Michael Ruiz, FOXNews.com, 30 June 2026
Definition of commanding
Verb
  • Other signs of scam communications include requesting money or sensitive information, threatening legal action or arrest or pressuring the victim to take immediate action, a Microsoft spokesperson told the Herald.
    — Ella Moore July 2, Miami Herald, 2 July 2026
  • According to the lawsuit, Perdue sent a cease-and-desist letter to Soules on June 9, requesting that the company stopped using the packaging featuring the nuggets and hand gesture.
    — Melina Khan, USA Today, 2 July 2026
Definition of requesting
Adjective
  • The result, historians say, has become a centralized, more politicized spectacle, marking the national milestone as a celebration of an imperial presidency rather than a revolution from kingly rule.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 3 July 2026
  • Depicting the rise and spectacular fall of an Anglo- and Euro-centric civilization, the series was originally presented as an allegorical warning about imperial expansion to the then-young nation.
    — Cat Dawson, ARTnews.com, 3 July 2026
Definition of imperial
Verb
  • In Cañon City, Colorado, authorities are aiming for a 20% to 30% reduction in water use while asking residents to voluntarily conserve outdoor water consumption.
    — Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 5 July 2026
  • In 1995, the Atlanta Track Club began seeking design submissions and asking the public to select their favorite.
    — Staff, AJC.com, 4 July 2026
Definition of asking
Adjective
  • West Germany, arrogant attitude adjusted, pounded Chile, 4-1.
    — David j. Neal, Miami Herald, 24 June 2026
  • Lasso, in his initial introduction to audiences, wasn’t the warm, pun-loving, inspirational coach audiences would eventually embrace through Apple +, but a slightly arrogant buffoon parodying the average American sports fan.
    — Charles Moss, New York Times, 24 June 2026
Definition of arrogant
Verb
  • Since Mary Grace’s death, her parents have poured their energy into persuading lawmakers to make camps safer by banning cabins in active flood plains, mandating 24-7 weather monitoring and requiring rigorous annual evacuation training.
    — Johnny Dodd, PEOPLE, 1 July 2026
  • Minnesota won’t enforce a new law mandating pop-up mental health warnings on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram and TikTok until a legal challenge is resolved in court.
    — Alex Derosier, Twin Cities, 1 July 2026
Definition of mandating

Browse Nearby Words

dictates
dictating
dictation
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Cite this Entry

“Dictating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dictating. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of dictating for Spanish Speakers

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