Behest
Behest noun - A statement of what to do that must be obeyed by those concerned.
Usage example: I only made the change at the author's behest
Order
Order noun - A statement of what to do that must be obeyed by those concerned.
Usage example: the commander issued an order that the number of guards for the prisoner be doubled
Behest is a synonym for order in instruction topic. You can use "Behest" instead a noun "Order", if it concerns topics such as command, over, precept. literary substitute
Mutual synonyms
How words are described
| direct | direct behest | direct order |
Both words in one sentence
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In inFAMOUS the "Voice of Truth" does this to Cole at the behest of the Big Bad in order to toughen him up.
Source: Malicious Slander - He realizes that she wrote it at the behest of his "handlers" in order to cheer him up, because it's too full of these references.
Source: Something Only They Would Say -
Laser-Guided Amnesia: It is heavily implied that Johnny taking the beta blockers was at the behest of his mom in order to intentionally make him forget everything about his dead twin brother Joey.
Source: Video Game / To the Moon
Cite this Source
Order and Behest. (2016). Retrieved 2026, August 18, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/behest/order
Behest & Order. N.p., 2016. Web. 18 Aug. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/behest/order>.
Order or Behest. 2016. Accessed August 18, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/behest/order.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "behest" and "order" have occurred on timeline