behest

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

He set his sights on Greenland, apparently at the behest of a cosmetics heir pal.

From Salon • Mar. 19, 2026

It also leaves them at the behest of wealthy firms in far-flung states with no ties to or understanding of the communities the medical practices serve.

From Slate • Mar. 17, 2026

He’s accusing them of betraying the U.S. at the behest of nefarious interests he didn’t identify, no doubt because they don’t exist.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 20, 2026

This month, Australia's federal police charged two Chinese nationals with foreign interference, accusing them of spying on a Buddhist group at the behest of police in China.

From Barron's • Feb. 19, 2026

On campus, he would be seen as the outstanding villain of the affair, and not without reason: at his behest, the regents would fire thirty-one nonsigners in 1950.

From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik