as in edict
a statement of what to do that must be obeyed by those concerned
I only made the change at the author's behest
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of behest
The move follows a temporary tariff exemption granted earlier this month at the behest of three large U.S. automakers.
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Bailey Schulz, USA Today, 27 Mar. 2025
In the end, Darnell reworked the show to pit two women against each other in every episode, competing for their spot in the final pageant at the behest of outside judges rather than their peers.
—Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 20 Mar. 2025
Via executive order, Trump designated the gang a foreign terrorist organization and declared its foreign national members to be alien enemies of the United States acting at the behest of Venezuela’s regime.
—The Editors, National Review, 19 Mar. 2025
The changes have come at the behest of President Donald Trump, who has directed the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to overhaul federal agencies and reduce bureaucratic inefficiencies and has pushed aggressive cost-cutting measures.
—Dan Perry, Newsweek, 18 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for behest
Recent Examples of Synonyms for behest
Noun
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The changes outlined in the memo could deal another setback to the ranks of the department’s most experienced nonpolitical career prosecutors, who have been subjected to a wave of firings, forced transfers and policy edicts since Mr. Trump’s inauguration.—
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Such wasn’t the case for other pages involving minorities and women, because the department said those pages violated the Trump administration’s edict against DEI, which stands for diversity, equity and inclusion.—
Noun
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In this new event, six of Florida’s top high school orchestras present concerts and receive adjudication and instruction from industry professionals.—
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Check the seed packet instructions for correct spacing.—
Noun
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The vastness of framed white space and the comparatively minuscule labels arrest the viewer, requiring them to crane their neck, to move back and forth or close to the frame in order to read from part to part to whole while also weighing the blanks.—
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Others are beginning to take a stand, arguing that Trump's orders are not only unconstitutional but a direct attack on the principles of legal advocacy.—
Noun
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Gonzalez joined the weightlifting team beginning in her junior season and excelled under the direction of coach Heidi Bowser.—
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The pendulum, which swung far toward inclusion in the wake of George Floyd’s murder in 2020, is now swinging back in full force in the opposite direction.—
Noun
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These directives are groundbreaking moves, and further guidance from the White House to agencies to maximize their synergies would be beneficial.—
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The Mangione case is the first high-profile one to come under his administration's directive, Lain said; however, the federal death row landscape has changed dramatically since Mr. Trump's first term — and the appetite for executions nationwide has plummeted.—
Noun
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The judge's preliminary injunction prevents DOGE from taking further action related to the shutdown of USAID.—
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Perkins Coie is one of the law firms taking action, and after hiring Williams & Connolly—known for aggressively fighting the federal government—to represent them in court, won a preliminary injunction on the executive order.—
Cite this Entry
“Behest.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/behest. Accessed 8 Apr. 2025.
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