MANDATES Synonyms: 29 Similar and Opposite Words

mandates 1 of 2

noun

plural of mandate

as in accreditations

the granting of power to perform various acts or duties the committee has been given a mandate to reform the process for admitting applicants to the university

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mandates

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of mandate

as in orders

to request the doing of by virtue of one's authority the president of the sports league has mandated drug testing for all active members

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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 mandates

Noun

But when mandates or control measures are used as the main tool in a crisis response, a short-term impact can be difficult to sustain. — Raj Panjabi, STAT, 21 Oct. 2026 ObamaCare premiums have been rising quickly because of the law’s structure and mandates. — Merrill Matthews, Washington Post, 21 Oct. 2026 This, despite Lin meeting his mandates to curb spending and make movies that resonated with subscribers. — Matt Donnelly, Variety, 20 Oct. 2026 In other words, as our report notes, government mandates to seek truth are often driven by ideological belief systems, particularly on political issues. — Jordi Calvet-Bademunt, The Conversation, 20 Oct. 2026 Support for separation intensified among some Albertans following COVID-19 lockdowns and vaccine mandates. — Sheena Rossiter, NPR, 19 Oct. 2026 Madison Holmes, a 23-year-old independence supporter from Calgary, said the pandemic and vaccine mandates drew her into politics and fueled her opposition to Carney and his predecessor, Justin Trudeau. — ABC News, 17 Oct. 2026 There is just the slow hiss and sigh of the machines, tucked safely out of sight, as social media filled with resistance to mask mandates, to empathy and authority, to the power of the state, and the chorus of anti-vaxxers grew. — Literary Hub, 15 Oct. 2026 The Academy of Pediatrics says decisions about gender affirming care should be made by patients and physicians, not government mandates. — Shaun Boyd, CBS News, 15 Oct. 2026

Verb

The Minneapolis City Council approved an ordinance earlier this month that mandates a human monitor in driverless cars. — Reg Chapman, CBS News, 14 Oct. 2026 For one, the law mandates that states adopt intensive new work requirements for older adults and others, resulting in voluminous additional monthly paperwork. — Eli Hager, ProPublica, 13 Oct. 2026 Effective since January 2024, the program mandates that foreign companies must establish their regional HQ in the kingdom to compete for and secure many Saudi government contracts, including from the PIF. — Melissa Hancock, Fortune, 30 Sep. 2026 The pending rule requires medicines mailed from abroad to go through a customs process that mandates a licensed customs broker and a financial guarantee in the form of an entry bond. — Ed Silverman, STAT, 29 Sep. 2026 The Paramount settlement, which mandates that at least 20% of the company’s annual releases be tentpole films, defines that category as a film with a budget of at least $50 million. — Sarah Whitten, CNBC, 25 Sep. 2026 The House will vote on legislation that mandates the Supreme Court be composed of nine justices. — Adam Beam, AJC.com, 2 Sep. 2026 Timothy is charged with murder — an offense that typically mandates a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole — therefore the judge is required to hold a Miller hearing before sentencing in the case. — Chris Spargo, PEOPLE, 26 Aug. 2026 One is a 170-page bill that significantly changes juvenile justice procedures, mandates the amount of time served until someone becomes eligible for parole and allows counties to raise a 1% sales tax to fund a juvenile detention center. — Jack Harvel august 26, Kansas City Star, 26 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for mandates

Noun

Originating in the United States, this is one of the oldest accreditations globally, known for rigorous standards in faculty and curriculum quality.

— Habib Al Souleiman, Forbes.com, 23 Sep. 2026
This year’s 2,140 industry accreditations were up 10 percent from last year’s 1,940.

— Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 15 Aug. 2026

Definition of accreditations

Verb

Continue reading … COURT ORDER — Judge orders Trump to sit for deposition in his $10B defamation lawsuit against BBC.

— , FOXNews.com, 23 Oct. 2026
According to the lawsuit, Thomas frequently visits McDonald’s and orders a Quarter Pounder with cheese, fries and a Coke.

— Dee-Ann Durbin, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of orders

Noun

Prior to the first Certificate of Occupancy, the applicant will be required to obtain all required permits, approvals, and authorizations from the Florida Department of Transportation for improvements impacting Sunrise Boulevard.

— Susannah Bryan, Sun Sentinel, 22 Oct. 2026
General guidance from the federal government states that HIPAA authorizations do not need to be notarized.

— Alex Rosenblat — CalMatters, STAT, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of authorizations

Verb

The suit also requests an assessment of potential future civil penalties against the city, per the motion.

— Claire Murphy, Chicago Tribune, 22 Oct. 2026
The older man, plagued by an unknown illness, requests the narrator bury him and return to the location later, but bids him not to tell others of his death.

— Maria Papadouris, JSTOR Daily, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of requests

Noun

Nguyen responded by starting POPS Worldwide, an entertainment company which produces, licenses, distributes, and monetizes digital content across platforms like YouTube and Facebook.

— Angelica Ang, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2026
Generally, participating law enforcement agencies train officers to communicate with neurodivergent people who keep their licenses and vehicle registrations in blue envelopes.

— Theresa Clift, Sacbee.com, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of licenses

Verb

Protocol dictates that the family of the deceased later send return gifts that are worth half the value of the cash gift that was given.

— Mimi Hanaoka, The Conversation, 21 Oct. 2026
Cade Cunningham is the leader of this team, and his health pretty much dictates how well this team will do.

— David Troy OutKick, FOXNews.com, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of dictates

Noun

These lawmakers also intend to secure leadership of congressional commissions to oppose gender-neutral language initiatives and promote a biological definition of womanhood.

— ABC News, ABC News, 22 Oct. 2026
But the Vega Foundation stands out as a leader in the field, with commissions regularly popping up in biennials and museums.

— Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of commissions

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“Mandates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mandates. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of mandates

noun

verb

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