What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Mandate vs Dictate - What's the difference?

mandate | dictate |

As nouns the difference between mandate and dictate

is that mandate is an official or authoritative command; an order or injunction; a commission; a judicial precept while dictate is an order or command.

As verbs the difference between mandate and dictate

is that mandate is to authorize while dictate is to order, command, control.

mandate

Noun

(en noun)
  • An official or authoritative command; an order or injunction; a commission; a judicial precept.
  • Verb

    (mandat)
  • to authorize
  • to make mandatory
  • Derived terms

    * mandatary * mandator * mandatory

    dictate

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • An order or command.
  • I must obey the dictates of my conscience.

    Verb

    (dictat)
  • To order, command, control.
  • * 2001 , Sydney I. Landau, Dictionaries: The Art and Craft of Lexicography , Cambridge University Press (ISBN 0-521-78512-X), page 409,
  • Trademark Owners will nevertheless try to dictate how their marks are to be represented, but dictionary publishers with spine can resist such pressure.
  • To speak in order for someone to write down the words.
  • She is dictating a letter to a stenographer.
    The French teacher dictated a passage from Victor Hugo.

    Derived terms

    * dictation * dictator