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Behest is an ancient word: it is almost a thousand years old. It was formed from the prefix be- and the verb hātan ("to command" or "to promise"), and its Old English ancestor was used exclusively in the sense of "promise," a now-obsolete meaning that continued on in Middle English especially in the phrase "the land of behest." The "command" meaning of behest is also ancient but it's still in good use, typically referring to an authoritative order. Behest is now also used with a less weighty meaning; it can refer to an urgent prompting, as in "a repeat performance at the behest of the troupe's fans."
Examples of behest in a Sentence
Ryan Fonseca, Los Angeles Times, 8 Apr. 2025
The Trump administration has claimed that the Tren de Aragua gang is acting at the behest of the Venezuelan government as a basis for activating the powers.
—Rebecca Beitsch, The Hill, 8 Apr. 2025
For his part, Culkin has stated numerous times in interviews and awards speeches that Eisenberg hired him sight-unseen, at the behest of his sister, sans an audition process or having seen any of his projects.
—Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 5 Apr. 2025
Separately, Trump this week ousted Air Force Gen. Timothy Haugh, the Commander of US Cyber Command and second in command at the NSA, and Wendy Noble, deputy director and senior civilian leader at the NSA—reportedly as the behest of conspiracy theorist Laura Loomer.
—Jibin Joseph, PC Magazine, 4 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for behest
Cite this Entry
“Behest.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/behest. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.
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behest
noun
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