Word
dictate
Phoneticsdic·tate, stress on the first syllable
/ˈdɪkˌteɪt/
Definitions
01to speak for transcription
B1 · Intermediate
v. to say words out loud so that another person can write them down or a machine can record them.
v. to utter words aloud for another person or a device to transcribe. Transitive or intransitive use.
“The manager sat at her desk to dictate a formal letter to her assistant.”
“Before the advent of modern email, executives would frequently dictate their entire daily correspondence to a stenographer for later typing.”
Antonyms
02to command or control
B2 · Upper Intermediate
v. to tell someone exactly what they must do in a firm or bossy way.
v. to give orders authoritatively or dogmatically. Often implies an imbalance of power or an overbearing manner.
“You cannot dictate how I spend my own money.”
“The occupying force attempted to dictate every aspect of local life, from market prices to evening curfews.”
03to determine or influence
C1 · Advanced Academic
v. to control or influence how something happens.
v. to determine or decisively affect the nature or outcome of a situation.
“Common sense should dictate that you wear a coat in the snow.”
“Market forces usually dictate the price of goods, regardless of what the manufacturers might prefer to charge.”
04a rule or command
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Formal
n. a rule or principle that you feel you must follow.
n. a guiding principle or an authoritative order that must be obeyed.
Español:dictado
“He chose to follow the dictates of his own conscience rather than the law.”
“The diplomat found it increasingly difficult to reconcile his personal ethics with the strict dictates of his government's foreign policy.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “dictate” in context.
Verb
01. dictate a letter
“The executive spent the morning dictating a letter to her assistant.”
verb + noun
02. dictate that the project
“Current safety regulations dictate that the project must be completed by a certified engineer.”
verb + that-clause
03. dictate the terms
“After winning the legal battle, the company was in a position to dictate the terms of the merger.”
verb + noun
04. dictate to others
“A good leader listens to their team rather than simply dictating to others.”
verb + prep + noun
Noun
05. circumstances dictate
“We had planned to travel, but unforeseen circumstances dictated otherwise.”
noun + verb
06. logic dictates
“Logic dictates that we should save money now to prepare for future expenses.”
noun + verb
Adverb
07. heavily dictate
“The available budget heavily dictated the choice of materials for the renovation.”
adv + verb
08. largely dictate
“Market forces will largely dictate the success of the new product launch.”
adv + verb
Real-World Examples
“Canada should not let Washington dictate the future of its dairy sector.” “The Ulster Farmers' Union rejects a claim that it is trying to dictate policy after a cattle cull.” “His time at Wolves ended poorly but circumstances dictated much of that as the club failed to invest, something he can’t say in his new role.” “Payloads used to dictate the terms of launch.” Etymology
First attested in 1581; borrowed from Latin dictātum (“a thing said, something dictated”), substantivized from the nominative neuter singular of dictātus, the perfect passive participle of dictō (“pronounce or declare repeatedly; dictate”), frequentative of dīcō (“say, speak”). Doublet of diktat.
First attested in 1577; borrowed from Latin dictātus, perfect passive participle of dictō (“to pronounce or declare repeatedly; to dictate”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), frequentative of dīcō (“say, speak”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
ADJECTIVE
Idioms
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · AdvancedOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/dictate
Traducciones: Kaikki.org (Wiktionary), CC BY-SA 4.0